Minister Dinesh’s first overseas visit reaps success

Foreign Relations, Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has successfully negotiated with the Indian government to set up a Conciliate General office in Calcutta and for an Indian grant of Rs. 900 million to train Sri Lankan armed forces personnel on intelligence and counter terrorism duties.

Minister Gunawardena, on his first tour overseas since assuming office, made a two-day official visit to India, at the invitation of the Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr Subhramanyam Jaishankar.

Minister Gunawardena met External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and held cordial and fruitful discussion on a number of bilateral issues, embracing investment, human resources development, security, fisheries, development assistance and ongoing projects, tourism, education and cultural co-operation, as well as recent world political developments.

In the course of the deliberations on the matter of Indian fishermen and their boats in Sri Lankan custody, Minister Gunawardena said, that as announced by President Rajapaksa on his visit, Sri Lanka would release, very soon, all 52 boats in its custody.

During his talks with Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship, both ministers agreed to fast-track a memorandum of understanding for increased co-operation in skills development, including developing an equivalence framework, Buddhist tourismrelated training, Hindi Language training for Sri Lankan tour guides, training of technicians in the fields of solar power, entertainment and film industry-related skills, increased exchange of vocational training opportunities, developing entrepreneurial skills and the training of the trainers.

Indian authorities have expressed the importance of repatriation of Sri Lanka refugees living in its southern states like Kerala & Tamil

Nadu and both parties agreed to expedite the process and also to increase special flights between the two countries with emphasis on Sri Lankans visiting Buddhist religious sites in India.

“India will further expand facilities for Sri Lankan products to enter the vast Indian market,” Minister Gunawardena added.

He also visited the Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based public interest research and advocacy organisation. Mr. Gunawardena also visited the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi and met its staff.

In the course of the deliberations on the matter of Indian fishermen and their boats in Sri Lankan custody, Minister Gunawardena said, Sri Lanka would release, very soon, all 52 boats in its custody