“The two dignitaries also discussed other issues of extreme importance to the Region such as energy, infrastructure development, air connectivity, food security, enhancement of bilateral trade and investment and funds for development and for disaster management in the Region of SAARC among others.”_________________________
(May 29, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Secretary General of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Dr. Sheel Kanta Sharma, called on Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rohitha Bogollagama, on 26th May 2008 at his official residence. Secretary General Sharma was accompanied by the Director (Sri Lanka) of the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu during this visit.
Minister Bogollagama and the Secretary General discussed issues of relevance and significance of the forthcoming SAARC Summit in Colombo and broached and mapped out other pertinent areas and sectors with high potentiality. Both the Foreign Minister and the Secretary General agreed that the countries in SAARC region should have greater and closer cooperation and integration in all aspects. Further, the Foreign Minister added that the myriad of endowments of the member countries of SAARC could be efficaciously utilized, thus leading to economic progress. Minister Bogollagama highlighted the vitality of smooth and effective connectivity within the Region of SAARC, which was the theme of the 14th SAARC Summit in New Delhi held last year. He further impressed that connectivity would lead to closer relations not only between and among the member countries and the people but also would lead to economic advancement, in particular, among others. Minister Bogollagama further added that the theme of the 15th SAARC Summit, which would be held in Colombo, too would be based and closely associated with the previous theme of ‘Connectivity’, since it would have a sense of continuity.
The two dignitaries also discussed other issues of extreme importance to the Region such as energy, infrastructure development, air connectivity, food security, enhancement of bilateral trade and investment and funds for development and for disaster management in the Region of SAARC among others. The Foreign Minister also highlighted to the Secretary General of the increasing interest expressed by other countries to be observer members of the SAARC Summit and seven Observer Members will be attending for the 15th SAARC Summit. The SAARC Summit, as customary, would be attended by the Heads of State/Government of all member countries. It was also stated that SAARC, with a population of 1.45 billion which is 23% of the global humanity, has become a vibrant regional organization particularly during the last decade.
The Directors General of South Asia & SAARC and Economic Affairs and other Senior Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present at the discussions.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
Post a Comment