Rajnath calls on Sri Lankan PM; discusses regional peace

Home Minister Rajnath Singh today called on visiting Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe and discussed with him various issues, including regional peace and fight against terrorism.
Singh conveyed to Wickremesinghe that Sri Lanka and India share objectives for regional peace, security, commitment to fight terrorism and maritime safety in the Indian Ocean.
He said it is essential that India and Sri Lanka unite in isolating and targeting the source of ideological and financial support and training to terrorists in South Asia.
Singh said the problem is getting worse and it is not confined to just India and Afghanistan. South Asia needs to develop a clear response to terrorist infrastructure in the region, an official statement said.

The Home Minister appreciated that Sri Lanka is in general agreement with India on the need for an UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) and believes that non-existence of universally accepted definition for terrorism results in terrorist groups being permitted to operate internationally.
In their view the finalisation of the CCIT is urgently required as such a legal framework would provide clarity to a unified strategy to confront global terrorism.

On India and Sri Lanka's cooperation in countering drug trafficking, Singh stated that institutions on both sides should be encouraged to strengthen these exchanges.
"We should also ask officials on both sides to convene the first meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on Security Cooperation to discuss cooperation in countering terrorism and drug trafficking, as they are often interlinked. Other subjects of interest to the two countries were also discussed.

"These include quicker disposal of Letters Rogatory, cooperation in transfer of sentenced persons and cooperation in capacity building and training," Singh told Wickremesinghe.