Maldives, Sri Lanka to expand cooperation

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa and visiting Maldives President Abdullah Yameen agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in many fields including trade, banking and finance, fisheries, agriculture, education, defence and maritime sectors here on Wednesday, the President's Office said in a statement. The two leaders, after identifying the areas of cooperation at the bilateral talks advised the Joint Economic Commission to take follow up action on all areas of cooperation. Sri Lanka External Affairs Minister Prof G. L. Peiris, Senior Minister A. H. M. Fowzie, Economic Affairs Minister Basil Rajapaksa and several other cabinet ministers and secretaries to the ministries were in the Sri Lankan team for the bilateral discussions. The Maldivian President commended President Rajapaksa for establishing peace and stability in the country and taking Sri Lanka toward rapid prosperity and assured his country's support for Sri Lanka at every juncture as a good friendly neighbor and a well-wisher. Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa thanked the Maldivian president and assured support for the development programs of the Maldives. He agreed to provide more placements for Maldivian students in Sri Lankan universities and offered training facilities in professional training institutions and defence training centres. Maldivan President Yameen agreed to explore the possibility of giving "innocent passag" to Sri Lankan fishing vessels to international waters through Maldivian waters under the UN Law of the Sea. This was requested by Fisheries Minister Rajitah Senaratne during the talks. Senaratne also urged the Maldivian side to purchase boats from Sri Lanka as the boat industries in this country has made rapid progress. The two countries agreed to look into the wellbeing of citizens of one country employed in the other. There are 9,000 Maldivians living in Sri Lanka and 10,000 Sri Lankans are employed in that country. The two sides also agreed to expedite exchange of prisoners and explore the possibility of removing travel visa requirement. The Joint Economic Commission will also take up the proposal for double taxation agreement, finance and remittance agreement and expansion of maritime agreement with Sri Lanka, Maldives and India. the Maldivian president extended an invitation to his Sri Lankan counterpart to visit his country and the latter accepted the invitation. Yameen will wrap up his visit on Thursday.