FTA: S. Lanka to give concessions

Published April 24, 2003

LAHORE, April 23: In order to pave the way for signing of Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Sri Lanka is willing to give Pakistan special concessions on export of rice, onions and potatoes.

However, in return, Pakistan would have to allocate quota for import of tea from Sri Lanka.

This was stated by Sri Lankan High Commissioner CS Weera Sooriya in a meeting with LCCI president Yawar Irfan Khan and other executive committee members here on Wednesday.

Mr Sooriya said the FTA draft was being reviewed by the Pakistan government to remove the snags in its finalization.

The envoy said the internal crisis in Sri Lanka had hampered the air linkage of Lahore with Colombo. However, he was hopeful that such a link would be established in the near future.

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