Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Aghanistan Leaders discuss regional peace

Leaders of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Aghanistan discuss regional peace

NEW YORK, Nov 12 (APP): The leaders of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan met here Wednesday in a historic meeting aimed at bringing peace to the region.

The meeting held here between King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, President Asif Ali Zardari and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan at the York Palace lasted over an hour.

The three leaders arrived here to represent their countries at a high level meeting on interfaith harmony between religions and cultures, organised by the United Nations.

The talks focused on the situation in Afghanistan and its impact on the entire region and the need for bringing peace and stability to the region

Presidnet Rajapaksha adress BIMSREC

President Rajapaksha address BIMSTEC
President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the 2nd Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit in New Delhi at Tajpalace hotel today.

Sri Lanka wholly with BIMSTEC against terrorism and organized crime - President said

"Sri Lanka wholeheartedly supports the BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking as an important and vital milestone in our efforts on counter terrorism," said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the 2nd Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), at New Delhi today(Nov 13).

"Terrorist groups are able to sustain themselves by illegal fundraising, narcotics and people trafficking, money laundering using international networks, and arms and ammunition smuggling including through the sea routes in the Bay of Bengal. I urge you to consider setting up a mechanism to effectively police the seas of the Bay of Bengal, to deny these terrorists mobility and connectivity.

"For over two decades, Sri Lanka has been facing a tremendous challenge to our democratic way of life through the barbaric actions of a terrorist group, the LTTE. There is no doubt that such groups have to be dealt with militarily. At the same time Sri Lanka believes that any underlying causes, exploited by the terrorists in an attempt to seek legitimacy for their operations, should be dealt with politically. I wish to assure this august gathering that we are firmly on the path to a political solution," President Rajapaksa said.

He added that: "While the BIMSTEC nations have constructively and prudently engaged in the process of globalization, nevertheless the economic challenges faced by many of our major trading partners, will inevitably have some impact on our own pace of growth....The situation has therefore made all of us very much aware of the protection that regional self-reliance can afford, against global economic uncertainties."

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http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20081113_04



Pics by Sudath Silva and Chandana Perera

Indian students take up Lankan Tamils' issue

Indian students take up Lankan Tamils' issue

All India Students’ Federation has taken over the campaign for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.

AISF representatives from Tamil Nadu, numbering over 2,000, left Chennai yesterday (Nov. 12) morning in a special train they named “Messenger of Tears.”

Other student chapters from all other states of India will join the TN chapter of the student federation.

All these student campaign processions will reach Delhi and march jointly to Lok Sabha, said AISF sources in Chennai.