Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met Mr. Maithripala Sirisena, the President of Sri Lanka on the sidelines of UNGA

(2017-09-20) The meeting began by reiterating the deep and historic relations between the two countries. It was decided to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It was also agreed that both the countries would continue to cooperate at all multilateral forums in the spirit of neighborhood and longstanding relationships which were rooted in history.

The President thanked the Prime Minister for Pakistan’s consistent support to Sri Lanka during challenging times when Sri Lanka was facing wave of terror, and during natural disasters. The President stressed on the need for enhancement in trade and economic relations between the two countries. It was agreed that there is a large potential for expansion in defence cooperation between the two countries.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Pakistan considers Sri Lanka a very important country and attaches great importance to its bilateral relations with Sri Lanka. We believe that Sri Lanka, being an important member of SAARC, can play a significant role in the regional organization, the Prime Minister said. We want to further expand trade and economic cooperation with Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister expressed.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi extended an invitation to the Sri Lankan President to visit Pakistan.

Islamabad
September 20, 2017