August 22, 2016 Reading Time: 2 minutes
Foreign Ministers of Japan, China and South Korea to meet in Tokyo. Image credit - sepavone / depositphotos
Reading Time: 2 min read
Pakistan expresses interest in investing in Sri Lanka
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Major General Syed Shakeel Hussain, has stated that Pakistan is interested in investing in Sri Lanka’s agriculture, information technology and construction sectors, and praised the country’s investment environment.
The High Commissioner made these statements at a meeting with the Minister of Finance, Ravi Karunanayake, on 18 August. The possibility of increasing existing direct flight services between the two countries was also discussed at the meeting.
Sri Lankan delegation visits Belarus
A Sri Lankan delegation is in Belarus to attend the second meeting of the Belarusian-Sri Lankan Joint Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation, which will be held in Minsk from 18 to 25 August.
The delegation is expected to visit several Belarusian ministries, to discuss regional cooperation in the fields of culture, education, healthcare and technology. Emphasis will be placed on the development of legal frameworks in these fields, and furthering cooperation in international organisations.
UNESCO to review conservation of Dambulla Temple
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has expressed concern regarding the non-implementation of a management plan for the Golden Temple of Dambulla, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Sri Lanka has been requested to submit a report on the temple’s state of conservation and the implementation of prescribed recommendations, before 1 December 2017. The report will be be examined by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee at its forty second session in 2018.
US Vice President calls Cypriot and Ukrainian leaders
The Vice-President of the US, Joe Biden, has had phone call discussions with the President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, and Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci, on the significant progress made in their talks on reunifying the country.
Biden also had a separate phone call conversation with the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, on the need to de-escalate the recent increase in violence in Ukraine and show restraint.
US to investigate Turkish accusations against Fethullah Gülen
US Justice and State Department officials will travel to Ankara to investigate the Turkish government’s accusations against Fethullah Gülen, the exiled cleric who allegedly spearheaded the failed military coup in July 2016.
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has demanded that the US extradite Gülen, who lives in Pennsylvania. Gülen, who is considered a terrorist by president Erdoğan, has denied all charges.
Foreign ministers of Japan, China and South Korea to meet
The foreign ministers of Japan, China and South Korea will discuss cooperation between their countries, at a meeting to be held in Tokyo on August 24. The meeting will follow a dinner hosted by Japanese Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida, for his counterparts.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Lu Kang, emphasised the importance of cooperation between the three states, and expressed hope towards setting up an economic community by 2020.
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