Sri Lankan envoy pushes for increased trade and connectivity with Nepal

	REPUBLICA KATHMANDU, Oct 9: Entrepreneurs, who have extended relationship with Sri-Lanka in trade and economic front, met officials from Embassy of Sri-Lanka in Nepal on Tuesday in a bid to discuss and identify possible ways of increasing volume of trade and connecting the two countries through direct flights. According to a press release issued by Nepal-Sri Lanka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (NSCCI), A team led by Bhakta Bahadur Malla, president of NSCCI met D.V. Abeywickrama, Charge D´ Affairs and Dison J Perera, Economic counselor from the embassy on Tuesday.   “Two sides agreed to improve the mechanism of information sharing between the two countries,” said the release. “Abeywickrama said that he would work on developing the bridge between business communities from the two countries in every possible way.”   Similarly, Abeywickrama also said that the embassy was interested to connect the two countries through direct flights. “In order to increase the movement of people between the two countries, we have to connect the two countries through a direct flight,” the release quoted Abeywickrama as saying. In the meeting business leaders even requested officials from embassy to encourage Sri Lankan investors to come in Nepal. Nepal and Sri Lanka being in the same South Asia region, share a minimal level of bilateral trade. According to statistics compiled at Trade and Export promotion Centre (TEPC), Nepal and Sri Lanka had Rs 90 million worth of trade in which Nepal has around Rs 58 million trade defict with Sri Lanka in 2011.

Published on 2012-10-10 03:35:05

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Travel to Tamil Nadu

Following a series of unfortunate incidents faced by Sri Lankans visiting Tamil Nadu, in particular a group of Sri Lankan pilgrims visiting the Poornimatha Church in Thanjavur in early September 2012, the Government of Sri Lanka was compelled to issue a travel advisory for Sri Lankan nationals visiting the state of Tamil Nadu.

The Government of Sri Lanka views these incidents as an aberration, and acknowledges that Sri Lanka nationals numbering approximately 200,000 who visit India every year are received warmly in India, including in Tamil Nadu.

The Government of Sri Lanka is pleased that the Government of India, in close consultation with the concerned state governments, has taken and will continue to take all measures to ensure the safety, security and wellbeing of Sri Lankan dignitaries and visitors to all parts of India including Tamil Nadu.

People-to-people contact plays an important role in the multifaceted India-Sri Lanka relationship, especially in further promoting historical, cultural and political ties as well as economic and business relations. The Government of Sri Lanka is of the view that this age-old natural process of interaction between our two peoples must flourish, unhindered.

In this context, the Government of Sri Lanka appreciates the comment made by the Hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu that the state government of Tamil Nadu is determined to ensure that Sri Lankan visitors to Tamil Nadu are not harmed in any way.

The Government of Sri Lanka has received a large number of requests to lift the Travel Advisory.

The Government of Sri Lanka believes that the Travel Advisory is no longer required.

 

Ministry of External Affairs

Colombo

9^th October 2012