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Friday, July 25, 2008 - 6.01 GMT |
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Sri Lanka gains high visibility at the ASEAN
Regional Forum |
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Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama
accompanied by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya
Rajapaksa participated in the high level
segment of the Ministerial session of the
15th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) yesterday in
Singapore, at which he was joined by
ministerial colleagues from the US, Russia,
China, Japan, Australia and South Korea,
among the other 27 member states.
Minister Bogollagama highlighted the
importance of the international community to
close ranks, moving beyond the rhetoric of
merely paying lip service in combating
terrorism, by taking meaningful and tangible
action against terrorist organizations and
their fronts operating under various
innocuous guises. In this context, he
elaborated on the need to address the
specific challenges posed by terrorism,
including the raising of funds, and
transnational crimes such as money
laundering, human smuggling, illicit arms
procurement and narcotics trafficking.
Referring to the recent terrorist attacks on
the Indian Embassy in Kabul and the US
Consulate General in Istanbul, the Foreign
Minister expressed his serious concern over
these wanton acts of terrorism, since
diplomatic missions represent governments of
sovereign states. While condemning the
attacks, he urged ARF member states to
demonstrate their resolve and commitment in
countering terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations. The Minister proposed the
early convening of a Working Group on
intelligence sharing by the ARF, as a matter
of high priority.
Minister Bogollagama also took the
opportunity of addressing his counterparts
on the agenda of the 15th SAARC Summit to be
held in Colombo shortly and drew parallels
between ASEAN and SAARC in dealing with
issues of common concern such as terrorism
and transnational crime, food security and
high energy prices.
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