Pakistan, Sri Lanka sign nuclear agreement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Monday inked an agreement for cooperation in the civilian nuclear technology sector.
Sri Lanka is the first country in the region to have entered into such an agreement with Pakistan. The agreement was signed in the presence of the visiting Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the PM House.
In all, six agreements, four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and two agreements to further cement ties and bolster cooperation in the field of energy, sports, disaster management and shipping were signed by the two sides.
The agreements were concluded after one-on-one and delegation-level talks between the two leaders. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told the media that the two sides had reviewed the whole range of multifaceted bilateral relations.
He said the talks were marked by full trust and complete understanding as both the sides reached a broad consensus on ways and means strengthen bilateral cooperation in a comprehensive manner.
Sri Lankan President Sirisena said the two countries were charting a dynamic course in relations and invited Prime Minister Sharif to visit Sri Lanka to continue the high level exchanges.Prime Minister Nawaz stressed the need for regular political exchanges between the two countries and said parliamentary visits would further strengthen their relations.
He said Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoyed excellent relations, based on mutual respect and shared interests. “Our relations are marked by cordiality and commonality of views on major regional and global issues. Pakistan wishes to further deepen and broaden relations with Sri Lanka in all fields of importance,” he said.
He reminded that Sri Lanka enjoyed the special position of being the first country with which Pakistan signed a Free Trade Agreement in August 2002 and pointed out that the present volume of trade does not reflect the true potential.
“We have agreed to re-invigorate our effort to realize the goal of achieving US$1 billion bilateral trade target within the shortest possible time,” he added. The prime minister thanked Sri Lanka for unconditional support to Pakistan’s candidatures to the Government Board of Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) and ECOSOC, a UN body for the term 2015-18.
Sri Lankan president said the two sides agreed to improve their economic and trade ties and welcomed Pakistani investment.
He invited the PIA to recommence flights to Sri Lanka. Prime Minister Nawaz said the two sides also discussed cooperation in the field of defence and mentioned that Sri Lanka had been participating in the defense exhibitions in Pakistan, while Pakistan Navy ships had been regularly paying calls on the Sri Lankan ports.
He said the two sides agreed on the importance of tourism and the people-to-people contacts between the two countries. He said sporting ties, especially in Cricket, have created special bonds between our two peoples.
Sri Lankan president also mentioned the excellent partnership with Pakistan in the field of education and stressed further collaboration to enhance people to people and business to business ties.
Referring to the talks, the prime minister said he discussed with President Sirisena the regional situation and the need for closer cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He said he had informed the president that Pakistan was focused on growth and development to ensure prosperity to its people. “To this end, we want peaceful relations with all our neighbours,” he said.
The two sides also discussed cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the multilateral forums, especially SAARC. The Sri Lankan president appreciated Pakistan’s assistance to his country at critical moments after its independence and said it stood along with it in its fight against terrorism.
He also appreciated Pakistan for its one million dollar grant for his country for the rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the US 200 million credit line. The two countries signed MoUs for cooperation between Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and Atomic Energy Authority of Sri Lanka, Agreement on Cooperation against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Academic Cooperation and Agreement on Exchange and Collaboration between National Defence University of Pakistan and Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies of Sri Lanka.
The MoUs for cooperation in the field of sports, mutual cooperation in Shipping Business between Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) and the Ceylon Shipping Corporation Ltd (CSCL) were also signed.
Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan and Sri Lankan Minister for Disaster Management Mohamed Fowzie Abdul Hameed signed an MoU for Cooperation on Disaster Management.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also hosted a luncheon in the honour of the visiting dignitary and his delegation.Earlier the prime minister said his government has taken steps for improving relations with all countries of the region including India and Afghanistan.
Upon arrival at the Prime Minister House, the Sri Lankan president was given the guard of honour by a smartly turned out contingent of the armed forces. Welcoming President Sirisena on his maiden visit to Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with Sri Lanka which are most cordial and friendly.
There is immense goodwill in Pakistan for Sri Lanka which should permit us to develop even more close and cooperative relations in all fields including political, economic and defense, he said.
The President of Sri Lanka said that both countries have been friends of adversities since last six decades. President Sirisena also invited Prime Minister Nawaz to undertake a visit to Sri Lanka at his convenience.
The members of the visiting delegation included Mangala Samaweera, Minister for Foreign Affairs; A.H.M. Fowzid, Minister for Disaster Management; Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister for Industry & Commerce; Mrs. Chitranganee Wagiswara, Secretary Foreign Affairs; Air Chief Marshal (R) Jayalath Weerakkody, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan; Lt. Gen. A. W.J. Crishanthe De Silva, Sri Lankan Army Commander; Muhammad Zubair, Director General, PC, Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and Dharshana Perera, Acting Director General South Asia & SAARC.
The host side comprised Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Defence; Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the PM; Eng. Khurram Dastagir, Minister for Commerce; Syed Tariq Fatemi, SAPM; Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Foreign Secretary; Shahid Khan, Interior Secretary; Maj. Gen. (R) Syed Shakeel Hussain, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka; Javaid Aslam, Secretary to the PM; and senior officials.