H.E Retno L.P. Marsudi Indonesia's Foreign Minister and Sri Lanka's State Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Vasantha Senanayake decided on Saturday (5 August) in Manila for the two countries to further intensify efforts in political, economic, developmental, cultural, security related cooperation as well as cooperation in regional and international fora. The two Ministers also considered ways and means to achieve concrete results in light of the recent elevation of the bilateral engagement through highest political level interactions including the recently concluded State Visit of H.E. President Maithripala Sirisena.
During the discussions both Ministers agreed to expedite the negotiations for the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), as being a step towards signing an eventual Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the future.
State Minister Senanayake also conveyed Sri Lanka's desire to intensify Sri Lanka's cooperation with ASEAN including as a future Sectoral Dialogue Partner.
Associated with State Minister Senanayake were Hon. Buddhika Pathirana MP, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the Philippines Mrs. Aruni Ranaraja, Director General of East Asia and the Pacific Mr. O.L. Ameerajwad and Mrs. Sewwandi de Silva, Second Secretary, Embassy of Sri Lanka, Manila.
The State Minister of Foreign Affairs is in the Philippines to represent Sri Lanka at the Grand Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN and the 24th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Manila
6 August 2017
