Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, on Saturday, advocated resolution of conflicts between Pakistan and India through bilateral dialogue.
He said this while talking to Pakistan’s High Commissioner, Major General (R) Dr Shahid Ahmad Hashmat, who had called upon him in Colombo. The Sri Lankan President called himself a close friend of Pakistan and India.
The High Commissioner, in turn, briefed President Sirisena on the regional security situation and emphatically reiterated Pakistan’s unrelenting commitment towards peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia.
Dr Hashmat emphasised the sincere and honest efforts undertaken by Prime Minister Imran Khan to de-escalate the recent escalation between Pakistan and India across the Line of Control. The entire spectrum of Pakistani leadership endorsed the international community’s support for sustainable dialogue to peacefully resolve all longstanding disputes, including the Kashmir issue he maintained.
President Sirisena stated that bilateral dialogue and negotiations were very important to establish peace and stability and warned that the military escalation between Pakistan and India would adversely affect the entire region, especially on its economic progress and prosperity.
Lankan President expressed that as a member of the SAARC fraternity, Sri Lanka fully supported peace and was willing to play an important role in this regard. Expressing the paramount importance of peace, he also underscored the need to use the SAARC forum to promote mutual cooperation among its member states.
The President expressed his confidence in the astute political stewardship of Imran Khan and hoped that Pakistan would not allow the conflict to escalate further; calling for an early resolution of the crisis.
He lauded Pakistan’s positive gesture of releasing the captured Indian Pilot, further adding that such gestures would hopefully help diffuse tension and promote peace in the region.
