Lanka, Pak hold talks for sharing military strategies

Sri Lankan army has sought more opportunities for its personnel to be trained in Pakistan as the army chiefs of the two countries explored possibilities of sharing military strategies at a meeting here today.

Sri Lankan army has sought more opportunities for its personnel to be trained in Pakistan as the army chiefs of the two countries explored possibilities of sharing military strategies at a meeting here on Thursday.

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"The talks centred largely on military matters of mutual and regional interest and possibilities for sharing strategies in the successful Wanni Humanitarian Operations against separatist terrorists" the army headquarters said in a statement as Pakistani army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani met his counterpart Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya.

"The meeting also explored avenues of receiving more and more training opportunities for Sri Lankan officers in Pakistan, in addition to ongoing programmes," it said.

Pakistan was one of the main supporters of Sri Lanka military during its war against the LTTE rebels, a terrorist outfit eliminated in 2009.

Sri Lankan military officials regularly receive training in Pakistan.

The visiting army chief on Thursday also met other forces commanders and the defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapksha and the Prime Minister D M Jayartne.

He was scheduled to meet president Mahinda Rajapksha today but the meeting was not materialised as the president left for the US yesterday for previously unannounced visit.

General Kayani is expected to address undergraduates at the Defence Services Command and Staff College on Friday.