The Hindu : National : Kadirgamar arrives on working visit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 25, 2005

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National

Kadirgamar arrives on working visit

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI, FEB. 24. The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, who arrived in the capital on Thursday night, will hold talks with the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, and the Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, on Friday evening.

"Apart from a review of bilateral relations, the visit will provide an opportunity to discuss the latest developments in the peace process in Sri Lanka. The Government of India is committed to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and to the restoration of a lasting peace through a peaceful, negotiated settlement that meets the just aspirations of all communities. Peace in Sri Lanka can only contribute to the further deepening and expansion of Indo-Sri Lankan ties to mutual advantage and benefit," the External Affairs Ministry spokesman told presspersons.

According to the spokesman, India-Sri Lanka relations had seen significant progress in the recent past. Political relations were close, trade and investments had increased dramatically, infrastructural linkages were expanding, and there was a general, broad-based improvement across all sectors of bilateral cooperation.

"The importance attached to our relations is evident from the fact that following the tsunami of December 26 ... India made every effort possible within its means to assist Sri Lanka in its hour of need despite suffering grievously itself.

"A composite relief package of Rs. 100 crores was announced for Sri Lanka and was followed by a massive relief effort in which India deployed an air detachment of 10 aircraft for three weeks and sent about 15 naval ship-loads of supplies, 15 medical teams, a mobile field hospital (140 men) that was airlifted, specialist doctors, a 45-bed hospital ship, 10 teams of naval divers and a 81-member composite Army disaster management team," he said.

The spokesman stated that the economic dynamism of the relationship was manifest in the success of the Indian Sri-Lankan Free Trade Agreement.

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