Sri Lankan President to sign several bi-lateral agreements during Indian visit

 The Sri Lankan government says that several bilateral agreements on defence, trade and economic promotion will be signed between Sri Lanka and India during President Mahinda Rajapaksa's visit to India next week.
The President's visit to India on June 8 would be the first after his re-election in January this year.

Cabinet Spokesperson and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had told the weekly cabinet news briefing yesterday (3) that the three day official tour next week would focus on further strengthening the existing defence pacts between India and Sri Lanka.
However, the Minister said no new defence pact would be signed during the President's visit.
According to Rambukwella, President Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are expected to focus on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in the trade and economic sectors.
He has observed that the CEPA would most probably be signed by the end of 2010 and the two countries will have to come to a consensus on all relevant issues and discuss the draft of the CEPA with all stakeholders before the signing.
The Minister rejected arguments by some political parties that signing the CEPA agreement would harm the country saying that there is no truth in them.
An agreement to exchange radio and television programs between India and Sri Lanka will also be signed during the President's visit, Rambukwella said.
President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Singh had last met in Thimphu on the sidelines of the 16th SAARC Summit in April this year.