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Sri Lanka in ARF

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has become a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the country’s Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama will lead the country’s first delegation to the ARF meet scheduled to be held in Manila on August 1 and 2. Last month, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar announced the ARF’s decision to admit Sri Lanka into its fold. Bangladesh joined the ARF earlier this year. Pakistan and India are also members of the ARF, which includes the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as well as the United States, China, Russia and Japan, among others. A statement by the Foreign Ministry said the country’s admission is a clear reflection of Sri Lanka’s proactive role in regional and multilateral fora for the promotion of peace, dialogue and cooperation for the greater benefit of the Asia-Pacific region in particular and the world at large. It said Mr Bogollagama, on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, will sign instruments acceding to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia as well as the Extension of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

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