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President Chandrika Kumaratunga has reaffirmed her commitment to the peace process in Sri Lanka and pledged to giver her fullest cooperation and guidance to the government in this regard. The President made these comments at the recently concluded SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal. Referring to the recent developments in Sri Lanka and the peace process, she said, “I am happy to state that the new Government elected a few weeks ago, is also taking action to continue the process.” “My Presidency remains committed to the process of peace that I initiated seven years ago and shall continue to give leadership and guidance to the Government in this regard,” Kumaratunga added. President Kumaratunga commenting on the present political landscape in Sri Lanka said, “The recent election has provided a historic opportunity for the two major political parties of Sri Lanka, now both in Government, through the Presidency and the Cabinet to evolve new systems of constructive co-habitation and collective action for the resolution of the separatist conflict.” PRESS RELEASE The Eleventh SAARC Summit in Kathmandu concluded successfully on 6th January 2002. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga formally handed over the Chair to Prime Minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba at the opening ceremony on 5th January. Hon. Tyronne Fernando, Foreign Minister represented the Government of Sri Lanka at the Meeting of the Council of Ministers which preceded the Summit Meeting. The resumption of the Summit process after a hiatus of three years signalled the political commitment of SAARC Heads of State and Government to revitalizing regional cooperation and promoting peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia. All leaders underlined the importance of SAARC as a vehicle to foster good neighbourly relations and build confidence among member states. President
Kumaratunga as the outgoing Chairperson of SAARC briefed the Summit on the
developments in the SAARC during the last three years, while focusing on
the problem of terrorism as it effected the security of SAARC member
states. Referring to the recent developments in Sri Lanka and the peace process, President Kumaratunga said " I am happy to state that the new Government elected a few weeks ago, is also taking action to continue the process. My Presidency remains committed to the process of peace that I initiated seven years ago and shall continue to give leadership and guidance to the Government in this regard. The recent election has provided a historic opportunity for the two major political parties of Sri Lanka, now both in Government, through the Presidency and the Cabinet to evolve new systems of constructive co-habitation and collective action for the resolution of the separatist conflict". SAARC leaders also endorsed the President's proposal made at the 10th SAARC Summit in Colombo, for the establishment of a SAARC Cultural Center in Kandy and mandated the forthcoming meeting of SAARC Cultural Ministers in Sri Lanka in 2002, to finalize the details. On behalf of Sri Lanka, Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando signed two important regional Conventions on the Prevention of Trafficking of Women and Children for Prostitution and on Region Arrangements for the Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia. Meeting for the first time in the new millennium, the SAARC Leaders reiterated their commitment to intensify regional economic cooperation for mutual benefit in partnership with the private sector including the finalization of a draft treaty framework for a Free Trade Agreement by end 2002, leading eventually to a South Asian Economic Union at a future date. To this end, SAARC also agreed to step up cooperation to evolve common positions on issues of shared interests at international fora. SAARC leaders were of the view that widespread and debilitating poverty continued to be the most formidable developmental challenge for the region. They agreed accordingly to reconstitute the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation which was originally set up in Colombo in 1991. On a proposal by Sri Lanka, the Summit recognized the region's special vulnerability in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11 in the U.S., as well as in the current global economic slowdown, and called upon the international community to enhance the levels of assistance to the region, including ODA, new debt relief measures and additional provisions to meet rising insurance and security costs. SAARC leaders endorsed UN Security Council Resolution 1373 in which context all states were called upon to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts by criminalizing the collection of funds for such acts. The Summit also recognized the need to review the SAARC Regional Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism in the context of current global developments. The Meeting accepted Sri Lanka's offer to host a meeting of legal advisers to recommend measures for the effective implementation of this pioneering convention which was first proposed by Sri Lanka at the SAARC Dhaka Summit in 1985 and drafted at a Meeting of Legal Experts held in Colombo in 1987. Other issues of interest to Sri Lanka included the decision to finalize the negotiations for a SAARC Social Charter, as proposed by Sri Lanka and the call by the Summit to recognize the immense tourism potential of South Asia and to intensify common strategies such as joint marketing, air linkages etc. President Kumaratunga and Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando held several important bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 11th SAARC Summit to further strengthen and consolidate ongoing cooperation with neighboring states. All members states praised Sri Lanka for its 'exemplary' stewardship of SAARC during the extended period in Chair. Ministry
of Foreign Affairs 10th January 2002
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