National
Sri Lankan prez gets Saarc invite
Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey called on President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa at his office in Colombo on Thursday and handed over the letter of invitation from PM Koirala.According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Pandey also apprised Rajapaksa on the preparations that are underway for the South Asian regional conference. Both leaders underscored the need to amplify cooperation and collaboration among Saarc member states, especially in areas of infrastructure, connectivity, tourism, energy, people-to-people contacts, etc, said the statement issued by MoFA.
During the meeting, Pandey also stressed that Saarc as a regional organisation should focus more on deepening the regional integration process leading to peace, progress and prosperity in the South Asian region. Emphasis was also laid on the proper utilisation of the region’s potentials for the welfare of its peoples. Matters relating to bilateral ties between Nepal and Sri Lanka were also discussed during the meeting. The Sri Lankan president expressed his best wishes for early drafting of new constitution and conclusion of the peace process of Nepal.