India’s EAM Krishna visits Sri Lanka; Fourth meeting of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Fisheries held; Sri Lanka decides to donate 7,500 metric tons of rice to Somalia; Former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam visits Sri Lanka
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  • In a significant development, reports noted that India’s External Affairs Minister S M Krishna made a four day official visit to Sri Lanka from January 16-19, 2012. During his visit, EAM met with President M. Rajapaksa, PM DM Jayaratne, his counterpart Prof. GL Peiris, the TNA representatives and members of ALL Ceylon Muslim Congress. During the visit, both the countries have signed MoU specifying the modalities for the next phase of the housing project being implemented with India’s assistance of about 260 million US$ , MoUs for cooperation in the field of Agriculture and for cooperation between the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka; an agreement for India to provide a line of credit of US$ 382.37 million restoration of Northern Railway Services Buyer Credit Agreement. EAM Krishna also visited Kilinochchi and Jaffna in connection with Government of India assisted projects and handed over the first lot of housing units at Ariyali Jaffna. As a token gesture, he also provided 10,000 bicycles to IDPs in the Northern Province. 1 He also visited Galle where he inaugurated a segment of the Southern Railway Project implemented under a Line of Credit extended by India. 2 He announced a substantial increase in India’s educational assistance, amounting to Rs. 2.5 billion in grant-funding, to assist meritorious Sri Lankan students. Under this programme, scholarships and self-financing slots for undergraduate, masters and doctorate-level courses will be increased to nearly 270 per year. 3

    In another development, according to reports, fourth meeting of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Fisheries was held in Colombo on January 13-14, 2012. The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Ms. Kshenuka Senewiratne, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs of Sri Lanka while the Indian delegation was headed by Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs of India. The 11-member Indian delegation had representatives from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and a host of agencies, including the Indian Coast Guard. The two countries, noting that the Joint Statement on Fishing Arrangements of 26th October 2008 had since led to a decrease in violent incidents, have agreed to allow both countries to pursue their fishing activity in a safe, secure and sustainable manner, including discouraging fishermen from using destructive fishing methods, a joint statement issued by the two countries said. The two sides also agreed to develop programmes for bilateral exchanges in aquaculture and fishing related activities, including training in fisheries management, genetic improvement of cultured species, fishing technology, exchange of scientists, etc. A Memorandum of Understanding on development and cooperation in the field of fisheries and an agreement to set an early date for the work were also suggested during the meeting. 4

    Meanwhile, according to reports, rejecting some negative news reports that related to the India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group meeting , Sri Lankan Ministry of External Affairs said "unfortunately, these are misinterpretations of the positions taken by either of the parties, and do not reflect the cordial, friendly and constructive manner in which the relevant issues were discussed."5
    Reports noted that the Cabinet of Sri Lankan government has decided to donate 7,500 metric tons (MT) of rice to Somalia and approved the release of 15,000 MT of paddy from Ampara and Polonnaruwa districts to produce rice for the purpose. 6

    In other developments, India's former President, A P J Abdul Kalam, visited Colombo on January 19, 2012 to jointly launch Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's ambitious Trilingual Initiative along with President Rajapaksa himself. The two leaders launched the historic Trilingual Initiative in Colombo on January 21. 7

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