ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Sri Lanka signed on Monday an agreement on civilian nuclear energy cooperation and signalled that bilateral ties would remain strong despite latter’s recent foreign policy reset.

“Both sides reached a broad consensus on ways and means to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation in a comprehensive manner,” Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said while talking to journalists after talks with visiting Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena at the PM House.

Mr Sirisena endorsed the views and said the two sides exchanged ideas on achieving “extraordinary excellence” in ties. “We can draw strength and inspiration from the warmth of our engagement and the depth of understanding that this visit has generated for charting a more dynamic course in our relationship.”

The Sri Lankan president is in Pakistan on a three-day state visit.

He was elected the sixth president of the island country in January. Since assuming office, Mr Sirisena has worked to reduce Chinese influence in his country and get closer to India.

A memorandum of understanding for cooperation between the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and Atomic Energy Authority of Sri Lanka is the highlight of the six accords signed on Monday.

Sri Lanka plans to build its first nuclear power plant to meet growing energy needs. Mr Sirisena has also signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with India, the first country he visited after his election.

The Sri Lankan government had long been eyeing cooperation with Pakistan on nuclear energy. Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa had upset India by hinting that Pakistan could help his country build nuclear power plants.

Mr Sirisena said the cooperation in the field of atomic energy was for socio-economic development of his country.

The details of the nuclear cooperation agreement were, however, not disclosed.

Other MoUs and agreements that were signed included ‘Agreement on Cooperation against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances’; ‘Academic Cooperation Agreement on Exchange and Collaboration between National Defence University of Pakistan and Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies of Sri Lanka’; ‘MoU in the field of Sports’; ‘MoU on Mutual Cooperation in Shipping Business between Pakistan National Shipping Corporation and the Ceylon Shipping Corporation Ltd’ and ‘MoU for Cooperation on Disaster Management’.

Mr Sirisena said the agreements would “intensify cooperation” between the two countries.

At the talks the two leaders also discussed about continuing defence cooperation. Pakistan had in the past provided military hardware to Sri Lanka to fight Tamil insurgents.

Mr Sirisena noted the cooperation in the past saying: “Sri Lanka is profoundly grateful to Pakistan for the strong support we received in our fight against terrorism, which reflects the abiding friendship we share.”

TRADE: Pakistan has particularly been interested in expanding trade ties with Sri Lanka.

The first Free Trade Agreement signed by Pakistan was with Sri Lanka. But bilateral trade has remained low, which is currently about $438 million.

“The present volume of trade does not reflect the true potential. We have agreed to reinvigorate our effort to realise the goal of achieving $1 billion bilateral trade target within the next few years,” Mr Sharif said.

Mr Sirisena said: “We agreed to further improve our economic and trade relations. Sri Lanka welcomes Pakistani investment”.

The Sri Lankan president invited the Pakistani International Airlines to restart its flights to his country.

Pakistan government additionally gave a grant of $1m for construction of houses of displaced people in Sri Lanka. A $200m credit line was also announced for Sri Lanka.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2015

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