PM concludes visit to Sri Lanka
PM Manmohan Singh rounds up his three-day visit in Colombo during which he attended the 15th SAARC Summit and held bilateral talks with leaders of Pakistan and other countries.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday rounded up his three-day visit in Colombo during which he attended the 15th SAARC Summit and held bilateral talks with leaders of Pakistan and other countries.
He was given a warm send-off by Sri Lanka with its Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake seeing him off at the airport.
Singh on Saturday met his counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani during which he conveyed his concern about the attack on Indian Embassy in Kabul, ceasefire violations by Pakistan and rising infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to Singh's concerns, Gilani said he would conduct an "independent investigation" into the Kabul attack.
In the meeting, Singh made it clear to Gilani that recent incidents had put the relationship and future of the dialogue in a "difficult" situation and Islamabad must act to address New Delhi's concerns.
Addressing the eight-nation Summit on Saturday, Singh warned that terrorism has emerged as the "single biggest threat" to stability. He also asked SAARC countries to jointly battle the "ideologies of hatred" and those seeking to destroy their social fabric.
"Terrorism continues to rear its ugly head in our region. It remains the single biggest threat to our stability," Singh said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday met Nepal's caretaker Premier Girija Prasad Koirala in Colombo and assured him of India's continued support to the Himalayan state's democratic transition.
Recognising the "serious threat" posed by terrorism to peace and stability of South Asia, the 15th SAARC Summit on Sunday in a declaration supported "strongest possible cooperation" against the menace and signed a key agreement in this regard.