Sri Lanka and the Russian Federation have entered into a bilateral treaty between the two countries on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters to combat serious international crimes including terrorism and narcotic trafficking.

The two countries held the third round of bilateral negotiations in Colombo this week and initiated a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters emphasizing the need to cooperate at the international, regional and bilateral levels, especially, in combating international terrorism and organized crime.

During the three-day negotiations, the Sri Lanka and Russia exchanged views on current developments relating to enhanced cooperation on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and at the end initialed an Agreed Text of a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters.

"The two delegations also commenced negotiations on a fresh bilateral Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, enabling the transfer of prisoners to their country of origin to serve their sentence, which would facilitate the rehabilitation of such prisoners," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

The visiting Russian delegation was led by Deputy Director of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation Yuri Kirichenko and the Sri Lankan delegation was led by Solicitor General Mrs.  Eva Wanasundera.