ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka today to attend the 15th SAARC Summit. At the Bandranaike International Airport, he was warmly received by the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and other high ranking officials. He was presented a guard of honour by a contingent of Sri Lankan army and introduced to the Sri Lankan cabinet Ministers. The Prime Minister is accompanied by Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce Mr. Noor Alam Khan, MNAs Mr. Abdul Mateen Khan, Mr. Noorul Hassan Qadri and Mr. Abdul Waseem.
The Prime Minister is expected to call on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at President House in Colombo this evening. The High Commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka will host a dinner in honour of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will address the SAARC Summit tomorrow afternoon. In his address, the Prime Minister is expected to emphasize the need for further cooperation between the SAARC countries in different fields including trade and commerce and energy sectors so as to ensure economic development of member countries.
He also expected to stress for concrete steps by the members countries for combating extremism and terrorism for ensuring durable peace. The Summit will be attended by heads of states and government of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka.
The Summit is expected to review the implementation of decisions taken at earlier Summit and discuss additional measures to promote regional cooperation. The occasion will be utilized for bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summit. Earlier talking to newsmen before departure at Chaklala airbase in Islamabad today, he said Pakistan intends to make SAARC an effective body for the benefit of the peoples of the South Asia.
He said Pakistan will make all out efforts to make the summit a success so that the SAARC countries could work according to its potential for peace, progress and prosperity in the region. The Prime Minister said he would also have an opportunity to meet his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the summit. He hoped a positive and constructive dialogue with him to move forward the peace process with India and resolve all outstanding issues with the aim to bring peace in the region.
To a question, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani said he would also have meetings with the leadership of other SAARC members including Afghan President Hamid Karzai and will discuss ways and means to strengthen ties with all member countries. He said Pakistan wants peace and security in the region, therefore, it is working with the all the countries to wipe out terrorism and extremism and bring peace as peace in Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan.-SANA
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