China and Sri Lanka issued a joint communique in Beijing
Friday at the end of Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike
Kumaratunga's visit to China.
At the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, President Kumaratunga
paid a state visit to China from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. During the visit,
official talks were held between the two Presidents.
The communique reviewed the talks between the two heads of state, saying
that discussion on all issues were free and cordial.
According to the communique, Hu expressed deep condolences on the brutal
assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar, foreign minister of Sri Lanka.
The two sides expressed their strong condemnation of the terrorist act,
resolved to relentlessly fight against the three evils of terrorism,
separatism and extremism and to consult and coordinate on regional and
international action being taken to prevent such terrorist acts.
Kumaratunga briefed Hu on the situation in Sri Lanka subsequent to the
assassination. She described the efforts being made to ensure stability
in the country and efforts to achieve a durable peace essential for the
welfare,safety and freedom of all communities in Sri Lanka, despite
difficulties posed by the terrorist activities.
Hu expressed its appreciation for and confidence that these efforts
would be successful and reiterated its full support for the unity,
territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and national reconciliation, the
communique says.
The communique says the Sri Lankan side reiterated its position that
there is but one China in the world, that the Government of the People's
Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of
China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.
It says Sri Lanka remains committed to its one China policy, opposes any
form of Taiwan independence, supports all efforts by the Chinese
Government to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity, supports
China's measures against the secessionist attempts by pro-Taiwan
independence forces, and hopes to see an early reunification of China.
The two sides expressed satisfaction at the steady development of
political, economic and other activities in the China-Sri Lanka
all-round cooperation partnership of sincere mutual support and
ever-lasting friendship, according to the communique.
The Sri Lankan President expressed the grateful thanks of her people for
the generous assistance offered in the aftermath of the tsunami
including the reconstruction of fisheries harbors and the China-Sri
Lanka Friendship Village on which work had commenced. The Chinese side
offered to provide facilities for training of personnel in natural
disaster prevention and mitigation.
The communique says the Sri Lankan side expressed thanks for the
Preferential Buyers' Credit offered by China for implementing projects
of development priority that had been agreed upon by both sides and
identified by Sri Lanka to be implemented in cooperation with Chinese
companies.
It says the Sri Lanka proposed its projects for priority development,
which included the Hambantota Bunkering System and Tank Farm Project;
the Puttalam Coal Power Project; the Express Rail Link Between
Katunayake and Ratmalana and construction of the Colombo-Katunayake
Airport Expressway. The Sri Lankan side requested Chinese financing for
the above-mentioned projects. The Chinese side stated that it would
encourage and support its financial institutions to effectively examine
the request.
The communique says the two countries stressed the need for conditions
of peace and stability and closer cooperation among Asian states to
enable the development of the region.
It says Sri Lanka welcomed the efforts made by China for the six-party
talks aimed at the denuclearization of the Korea Peninsula.
The communique says the two sides welcomed strengthening of ties between
China and South Asian States following exchange of high level political
and other visits and discussed the possibilities of setting up
institutional links between the South Asian Association Regional
Cooperation and China.
On the forthcoming 60th Session of the United Nations, in which both
Kumaratunga and Hu are scheduled to participate, the communique says the
two sides agreed that the UN reform should be effected on the basis of
the widest possible consensus of the entire international community
including the developing countries.
They agreed to continue consultations on all issues of mutual concerns
in international arena including on practical action towards realization
of the Millennium Development Goals, human rights and anti-terrorism,
the communique says.
It says that the two sides also reiterated their view that the next
Secretary General of the United Nations should be a representative of
the Asian Region.
According to the communique, the two countries signed eight cooperative
documents during Kumaratunga's visit covering cultural, economic,
financial, tourist fields.
The communique says Kumaratunga invited Hu to visit Sri Lanka. Hu
accepted the invitation with thanks and expressed his willingness to pay
a state visit to Sri Lanka at a time of mutual convenience.
Source: Xinhua
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