The Second Round of Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Türkiye was held on Tuesday at the Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara, the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said.
The talks were co-chaired by Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, Director General of the Europe and North America Division at Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry, and Ambassador Cihad Erginay, Director General for South Asia at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both sides underscored the importance of maintaining regular political dialogue to review progress and identify new avenues for collaboration.
The two delegations discussed bilateral political relations, trade and economic cooperation, defence collaboration, connectivity and maritime affairs, education, science and technology, and regional and multilateral issues. Opportunities for expanding investments and joint ventures were explored in pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, tourism, logistics and technology.
Sri Lanka expressed its appreciation for the humanitarian assistance Türkiye extended after Cyclone Ditwah, and the two sides discussed further cooperation on reconstruction and development. They also noted steady progress in defence and security cooperation, including institutional linkages and capacity building.
On connectivity, the two delegations spoke about leveraging existing direct air links between Istanbul and Colombo and exploring collaboration in maritime services and the blue economy. Talks also covered higher education, vocational training and scientific research, with both sides flagging the need to finalise pending bilateral agreements.
The delegations exchanged views on regional and global developments — including in West Asia, South Asia and the Indian Ocean region — and reaffirmed their commitment to working closely within the United Nations and other multilateral fora.
The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said the consultations reflected the political will on both sides to elevate bilateral relations, building on the strong historical foundations of the relationship.
Source: Newswire.
