By IRNA
New Delhi : Applauding India’s “tremendous” contribution to South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation(SAARC) under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sri Lanka has said it was hoping that the Indian leader will make “two visits” to the country next year.
“We are hopeful of two visits by Indian Prime Minister to Sri Lanka in 2008. One in the capacity as the SAARC Chair as the 15th SAARC summit which will be held in Colombo next year and the other for bilateral relations. We hope obviously that it will be under two different roles,” Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohita Bogollagama said in Colombo, Indian national TV news portal reported here today.
On Singh being invited to be the chief guest at Sri Lanka’s 60th Independence Anniversary celebrations, Bogollagama said: “We have extended an invitation to the Indian Prime Minister and it is under consideration.”
He said the next South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in Colombo will coincide with the country’s diamond jubilee Independence Day celebrations.
The SAARC Summit was allotted to Sri Lanka as Maldives, the original host, would be pre-occupied with its national elections in 2008, the minister said, adding the 16th SAARC Summit will be held in that country.
Bogollagama, also said Sri Lanka will contribute 34 million dollars for the 300 million-dollar SAARC regional development fund, for which India has pledge 100 million dollars.
The Sri Lankan foreign minister lauded the “tremendous” contribution of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in imparting new dynamism to SAARC.
He said SAARC leaders also appreciated the role of Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee in this regard.