SAFTA Ministerial Council meeting held in Colombo; President Mahinda Rajapaksa forms a new ministry under his purview to maintain the law and order in the country
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  • According to reports, a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) delegation comprising two ministers in charge of commerce and four commerce secretaries from member countries called on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Temple Trees on August 23, 2013. The group was in Colombo to attend the South Asian Free Trade area (SAFTA), Ministerial Council Meeting that took place on August 23, 2013.1

    According to reports, amid rising communal extremism and deteriorating law and order situation, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has established a new ministry under his purview to maintain the law and order in the country. The President has appointed retired Major General Nanda Mallawarachchi as the secretary to the new Ministry which with effect from August 19, 2013.2

    Reports noted that Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, on August 19, 2013, handed over to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a letter of invitation from President Mahinda Rajapaksa, to attend the Commonwealth Summit. During the meeting Prof. Peiris informed PM Singh that Sri Lanka was compelled to put in place an effective ‘deterrent mechanism’ which involves the arrest Indian fishermen, producing them in court and charging a fine, as Indian fishermen continue to cross over to Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.3

    Reports noted that Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs Prof. GL Peiris made an official visit to Pakistan to extend the invitation to Prime Minister Nawaz Shareef for the forthcoming CHOGM scheduled to be held in November. During the meeting with the PM, Prof. G. L. Peiri and High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Air Chief Marshal (R) Jayalath Weerakkody held a whole gamut of bilateral issues. During the discussion, Prime Minister Nawaz Shareef conveyed Pakistan's desire to deepen economic ties between the two countries and to conclude an early bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Sri Lanka.4

    Reports noted that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay visited Sri Lanka on august 25, 2013 on a week-long fact finding mission in response to an invitation formally extended to her by the Sri Lankan government in April 2011.5

    In other developments, reports noted that Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a three-day state visit to Belarus on August 25, 2013.6

    According to reports, Sri Lankan Military has denied Indian media reports that a Pakistan terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba would use Sri Lanka as a launch pad to attack Tamil Nadu. The Army said that the entire island was secure and that no armed group could launch any such attack.7

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