Wednesday, March 4, 2009ISLAMABAD: Sri Lankan Foreign Minister has said that Lahore attack was aimed to destabilize friendly ties between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, maintaining that the two countries will jointly work to curb the menace of terrorism in the region.
Addressing a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi here Wednesday, Rohitha Bogollagama said Pakistan should not be deprived of hosting Cricket World Cup 2011 in view of recent attack on Sri Lankan Cricket team.
Bogollagama arrived in Islamabad late night Tuesday to discuss the situation with Pakistani officials following an ambush on Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistani city of Lahore that left seven security personnel among eight dead and 18 others injured, including six Sri Lankan players.
Sri Lankan FM held meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
“Lahore attack was aimed to aggravate bilateral relations of Pakistan and Sri Lanka but let me assure yo that these relations will not be harmed by such terrorist attack,” Bogollagama told the journalists.
He said that his country is a victim of terrorism since long “but it was first time that the Sri Lankan citizens were targeted outside their land.”
He said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka should collaborate in their efforts to curb terrorism as both are the victims of this menace.
To a question, visiting FM said that Pakistan should not be deprived of hosting Cricket World Cup 2011 citing security concerns. The WC 2011 would jointly be hosted by four South Asian nations, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment