ISLAMABAD, Feb 9: Pakistan and Sri Lanka Wednesday agreed to enhance cooperation in a whole range of areas, including trade and commerce besides enhancing cooperation in defence, war against terrorism, agriculture and education.

A joint communique released at the end of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's three-day state visit stated that both countries deeply value their bilateral cooperation which has progressively strengthened and broadened in the political, economic and cultural fields.

During the talks between Sri Lankan President Kumaratunga with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz the two sides agreed to make every effort to further develop their relations and multifaceted cooperation for their common benefit.

During the visit, the two countries set into operation the annexes in the bilateral Free Trade Agreement, and inked agreements on a protocol to the Free Trade Agreement covering the Services and Investment sectors, and an Agreement for the Provision of Export Credit facility of US$10 million to Sri Lanka.

The two countries also signed an MoU on cooperation in agriculture, close cooperation in education, including contacts between academia, students and teachers' exchanges, waiver of student visa fees, MoU on cooperation in gemstones and jewellery, MoU between the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Business Council and Pakistan-Sri Lanka Business Forum, promotion of activities for people-to-people contacts, promotion of tourism, promotion of Science and Technology, collaboration in Information Technology and telecommunications.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka also agreed to hold the next meeting of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) in April in Colombo. They also agreed to explore the possibility of having a single country exhibition in Sri Lanka by the Export Promotion Bureau, Pakistan to coincide with the JEC. A proposal to play a cricket match between the two countries was also discussed.

The president of Sri Lanka accepted the offer of the prime minister of Pakistan to build two major mosques damaged in Sri Lanka due to the tsunami.

The communique said Sri Lanka and Pakistan will work together to further enhance cooperation in the field of defence, and in particular, cooperation in training of military and police personnel.

President Kumaratunga conveyed to Pakistan, Sri Lanka's appreciation for the support and assistance extended in the area of defence.

Both sides reaffirmed commitment to strengthen cooperation in countering terrorism and trans-national crimes in a comprehensive manner. It was further agreed that the two countries would strengthen judicial cooperation between them and improve the effectiveness of the law enforcement agencies through cooperation and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.

During the talks, the two countries exchanged views on a range of international issues and reaffirmed commitment to promotion of peace, stability, economic development and social progress.

They agreed to intensify cooperation and consultations on bilateral, regional and global issues by maintaining regular high level contacts.

The Sri Lankan president was accompanied by Hon Lakshman Kadirgamar, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Hon Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing and Construction Industries; Eastern Province Education and Irrigation Development and senior officials, and a high-level business delegation comprising representatives from the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, National Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).-APP