Sri Lanka Today: Friday, July 17, 2009

Friday, July 17, 2009

Priminister Gilaniand Presidnet Mahinda firm on fighting terrorism

Prime Minister Gilani and President Mahinda firm on fighting terrorism

Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday expressed the resolve to continue making efforts against terrorism and not let the menace hinder the goals of regional peace and prosperity. In a meeting held on the sidelines of NAM summit here, the two sides condemned the acts of terror that were disturbing regional peace and underlined the need for its eradication.
Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoy close and cooperative relationship, based on mutual respect and shared perceptions over the regional and international issues of common interest.
"Pakistan supports the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka and we would like to see durable peace and stability in the country," he said.
He said that both Pakistan and Sri Lanka are victims of terrorism and expressed his government’s commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice, who were involved in the despicable attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore a few months ago.
He said that there was some progress on the investigation into terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricket team, and the Pakistan government had been sharing the details with Sri Lankan side from time to time.
Gilani said the culprits involved in the heinous crime seemed to be connected with Taliban network, adding that the authorities concerned had taken some key suspects into custody and were trying to apprehend the remaining with the help of leads provided by the detainees.
"We need not to be deterred by such incidents and maintain our contacts in the popular field of cricket," he said.
The Prime Minister thanked the Sri Lankan side for inviting the Pakistani driver of Sri Lankan cricket team on visit, and said the gesture was greatly appreciated by the Pakistani people.
Gilani said Pakistan would be happy to participate in the next session of Foreign Secretary level bilateral consultations at Colombo and to hold Joint Economic Commission meeting in Islamabad during this year.
The two agreed on the need to transforming the existing Free Trade Agreement between the two countries to a ‘Comprehensive Economic Partnership’.
He appreciated the establishment of Sri Lanka-Pakistan Parliamentary Association in Colombo and called for frequent parliamentary exchanges to forge closer ties between the public representatives.
Gilani expressed satisfaction on the effective implementation of the projects under Pakistan’s Special Assistance Programme for South Asia, on which an amount of Rs.10.66 million had been spent during 2008-2009.
He said Sri Lanka was the largest recipient of free military training from Pakistan with a large number of training courses annually offered by Pakistan Armed Forces. He said Pakistan was willing to further assist Sri Lanka in enhancing the capacity of its armed forces.
The Prime Minister appreciated Sri Lankan government’s decision to invite Pakistan’s Defence Minister to visit Colombo in October, and hoped that it would greatly contribute towards strengthening the bilateral relations.
The Sri Lankan President said the relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka are marked by fraternity, cordiality and support to each other on the diverse issues of common concern.
He appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to fight terrorism and extremism for the improvement of regional peace. He said the two countries could play a positive role through SAARC for making the region peaceful and prosperous place.

Gilani, Manmohan agree that dialogue is the only way forward

A crucial meeting between leaders of Pakistan and India ended here Thursday on a positive note, with both side

agreeing that dialogue was the only way forward.Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh who met here at the Red Sea resort on the sidelines of the 15th NAM summit, where more than 50 heads of state from the developing world are gathered for the two-day summit, agreed to carry on their talks.

Talking to reporters after the meeting that lasted around three hours; including delegation level and exclusive one-on-one talks, Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan also raised the issue of threats in Balochistan and other areas.
Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan has said that all core issues

need to be discussed and the composite dialogue should not be bracketed with terrorism.
“Action on terrorism should not be linked to the composite dialogue process and these should not be bracketed.”
He said both the leaders have recognized that “dialogue is the only way forward” and agreed that the foreign secretaries should meet as often as necessary and report to the two foreign ministers who will be meeting on the sidelines of the forthcoming UN General Assembly.
A Joint statement issued at the end of the talks termed the meeting “cordial and constructive” and said the two leaders considered entire gamut of relations and agreed that terrorism was the main threat to both the countries.
“The leaders affirmed their resolve to fight terrorism and to cooperate with each other to this end.”
Prime Minister Singh reiterated the need to bring the perpetrators of Mumbai attack to justice. Prime Minister Gilani assured that Pakistan would do everything in its power in this regard.
He said Pakistan has provided an updated status dossier on the investigation of the Mumbai attacks and had sought additional information and evidence in this regard.
Prime Minister Singh said the dossier was being reviewed.
“Both the leaders agreed that the two countries will share real time, credible and actionable information on any future terrorist threats,” the statement said.
“Prime Minister Gilani mentioned that Pakistan has some information on threats in Balochistan and other areas,” the statement said.
Prime M

inister Singh said India was ready to discuss all issues with Pakistan including all outstanding issues. Prime Minister Singh reiterated India’s interest in a stable, democratic Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The joint statement said; “Both leaders agreed that the real challenge is development and the elimination of poverty. Both leaders resolved to eliminate those factors which prevent our countries from realizing their full potential.”
Pakistan and India agreed to work to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and confidence and reaffirmed their intention to promote regional cooperation.

India and Pakistan Agree to Fight Terror Together

The prime ministers of India and Pakistan agreed to cooperate on fighting terrorism and continue talking

to each other after the most substantive meeting between leaders of the two countries since the attacks on Mumbai, India, by Pakistan-based militants last year.
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Times Topics: Manmohan Singh Yousaf Raza Gilani
Pakistan’s prime minister pledged to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice, and the two countries agreed to share real-time intelligence on terrorist threats with India, according to a joint statement released by the prime ministers.
Yousaf Raza Gilani, Pakistan’s prime minister, met with Manmohan Singh, his Indian counterpart, in Egypt on Thursday on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement summit meeting in Sharm el-Sheik.
Both the length of the meeting and the fact that the two sides agreed to release a joint statement hinted at a broader progress to resolve differences between the countries. No mention was made of the thorniest of issues that divide them — the foremost being the disputed region of Kashmir — but the statement nonetheless represented a small but not insignificant breakthrough. Both countries acknowledged that terrorism, rather than each other, was the main threat to each nation.
Relations between the neighbors have always been strained, but they broke down completely after the attacks by Pakistan-based Islamic militants in Mumbai that killed 166 people last November. Both have nuclear weapons, and they have fought three wars against each other since India and Pakistan were created in the partition of British India. In recent years Pakistan has also sought to channel antiterrorism funds from the United States toward defenses that would be better suited for a potential war with India.

Singh and Mahinda meet on sidelines of NAM summit

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Mahinda Rajapaksa met on the sidelin

es of NAM summit on Thursday. Their meeting took place at Maritim Jolie Ville Golf Hotel in Shame El Sheikh shortly after the Singh-Gilani bilateral.
While there is no official word as such on what the two leaders had discussed, informed sources said the conversation mainly focused on the present status of the relief and rehabilitation programme and the plan

s for finding a lasting political solution to the pestering ethnic imbroglio.
President Rajapaksa is understood to have spoken of his plans and planks to fulfill his commitment to the people. The Indian leader reportedly appreciated the efforts and reiterated the Delhi line for an early solution to the ethnic issue within the framework of united Sri Lanka.
This was their first meeting after the Eelam War ended which also coincided with the return of Singh as Prime Minister for his second successive term.

Sri Lanka looks to future with hope and enthusiasm

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressing the 15th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement at Sharm El Shieik, Egypt today (June 15), observed that terrorism not only threatens, but diminishes everyone adding, "Sri Lanka has consistently condemned terrorism in all its forms and therefore we are happy at our success in defeating terrorism on our soil, and hope that the world, like our principled friends

here will rejoice with us and not begrudge a victory they should hope will be repeated elsewhere."

The full text of the President’s speech is given below:

http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10618&Itemid=44