CEPA to be signed by February 2007 - Foreign Minister Samaraweera  
[Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 9.30 GMT] 

The Indian Minister of External Affairs, Pranabh Mukherjee called on the Sri
Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier today for official discussions on
matters of mutual interest.  

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, who spoke to the media, said an important aspect of the meeting was India's commitment to the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is now expected to be signed by end January 2007.

He said the meeting between the Sri Lankan President and the Indian Minister of External Affairs was friendly and cordial, in which the Sri Lankan President and the Indian Minister reaffirmed the friendly ties between the
two countries. Mr. Mukherjee had restated India's commitment to preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. There was a frank
exchange of views between the Sri Lankan President and the Indian Minister on current developments in Sri Lanka, especially with regard to the peace process, humanitarian issues, and areas of cooperation between the two countries, with special emphasis on the economic development of Sri Lanka; the progress of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, Indian participation in infra-structure development and the expanding of IT education in Sri Lanka. 

The meeting with President Rajapaksa and Indian Minister of External Affairs that lasted nearly 40 minutes was followed by a bi-lateral discussion by Sri Lankan officials led by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and key Indian officials led by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. 

At this bi-lateral discussion Minister Pranabh Mukherjee had said the good relations between India and Sri Lanka that were taken to new heights by the former foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, should be taken to even greater heights of cooperation and understanding.  Minister Mukherjee said the work on the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was progressing well and that India was keen to see that both countries benefited from this agreement. 

Minister Mangala Samaraweera had said Sri Lanka was confident that through the long experience of Minister Mukherjee, it would be possible to take the irreversible good relations between India and Sri Lanka to even higher levels of cooperation. Although Sri Lanka was a small neighbour of India, there was big potential for the country to be a partner in development. Commenting on economic development, Minister Samaraweera said that Sri Lanka gives priority to economic development in the peace process because a lasting peace was intertwined with economic progress. 

According to Minister Samaraweera the bi-lateral discussions covered the progress in a number of activities from the latest situation regarding the
CEPA, which is expected to be finalized by end January 2007; Indian participation in the construction of the Southern railway on an Indian line of credit of US$ 100 million; the negotiations for the construction of two
coal powered power projects in Trincomalee with Indian investment, which is in the final stages of negotiation; the improvement of civil aviation between the two countries; the establishment of an IT park in Sri Lanka; , the overall Development Cooperation between the two countries, special projects such as the expansion of the "Nenasala" programme, the improvements to the Dickoya Hospital, provision of boats to fisherman, and the Mahatma Gandhi scholarships to students in Sri Lanka's hill country.   

He added that the bilateral discussions also covered the question of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), especially in the East of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan officials explained that a proposal by the government to
establish a special area to accommodate the IDPs in the East had been turned down by the LTTE, and it wanted to continue to use displaced civilians as human shields and that further steps were being taken by the Sri Lankan government to bring relief to these people who were undergoing hardship, and that arrangements had been made to take a convoy of 50 trucks with essential goods the Vakarai area.     

Ministers Douglas Devananda, Rohitha Bogollagama, Janaka Bandara Tennekoon; Secretary to the Treasury Dr. P. B. Jayasundera, Secretary Foreign Affairs
H. M. G. S. Palihakkara, Dr. Palitha Kohona, Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat and Dr. Rohan Perera, Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were among the other Sri Lankan ministers and officials present at the bi-lateral talks. Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon, Foreign Secretary of India, led the team of key Indian officials.

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Last Updated Date: November 28, 2006 -9.30 GMT