Indonesian President Joko Widodo warmly welcomed President Maithripala Sirisena when he arrived at the Merdeka Palace, the official residence of the President of Indonesia, marking the first state visit to Indonesia by a Sri Lankan Head of State in 40 years
President Maithripala Sirisena and his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo discussed the possibility of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Both leaders, during the bilateral discussions held last morning at the Indonesian Presidential Palace, entrusted their Foreign Ministries with the task of preparing a plan to proceed with the FTA talks.
“The FTA is a win-win deal for both parties. Indonesia its keen on consolidating its position in the Indian oceanic region of which Sri Lanka is a key strategic partner. Sri Lanka, at the same time, gets the opportunity to become a trade partner of one of the biggest economies in the Asian region,” a member of the Sri Lankan delegation visiting Jakarta told the Daily News.
President Sirisena pledged to enhance Sri Lanka’s bilateral relations with Indonesia and invited the country’s President Joko Widodo to pay a state visit to Sri Lanka as early as possible.
During the bilateral discussions, the Sri Lankan President said he took pride in being the first Sri Lankan head of state visit Indonesia in over four decades. He said he was deeply touched by the hospitality extended by Indonesia, the new Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), during his three-day stay in the country.
The Sri Lankan President thanked his Indonesia counterpart for donating 15000 Metric Tons of rice to Sri Lanka when the country was on the verge of a ‘rice crisis’.
The two leaders, after the discussions, issued a joint statement underscoring the deep and long-standing friendship between the two countries.
The statement said the two countries shared a deep friendship for many decades as members of the Bandung conference (1955), the Non-Alingment Movement (NAM) and as common inheritors of the Indian Ocean.
It also added that the two countries held fruitful discussions on many areas of mutual interests such as economic development, technology, tourism, health, defense and industries.
At the conclusion of discussions, the two countries signed two agreements: one on maritime and fisheries cooperation and the other on promoting traditional industries.
In addition, the two countries also signed a joint communique on the need to control and regulate illegal and unreported fishing, and to promote sustainable governance in the fisheries sector.
The fisheries sector agreements were signed by State Fisheries Minister Dilip Wedaarachchi and his Indonesian counterpart Susi Pudjayastuti.
Other members of the Sri Lankan delegation who took part in bilateral discussions included Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Development Strategies and International Trade Deputy Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe and Sri Lankan Ambassador to Indonesia Darshana Perera.
The President was given a grand welcome at the Presidential Palace of Indonesia last morning. A colorful cultural parade, representing all ethnic communities of the host country, greeted the Sri Lankan President at the entrance of the presidential residence while the military gave a guard of honor.
President Sirisena was officially welcomed by the Indonesian President and the former also signed the guest book of the palace before commencing bilateral discussions.
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