FM at Interior Ministers conference

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama took part in a meeting of SAARC Interior and Home Ministers on October 25-26 in New Delhi. Combating terrorism and eradicating drug trafficking and drug abuse were among the topics taken up for discussion at the meeting where Sri Lanka was the only country which did not send its home minister.

Public Administration and Home Affairs Karu Jayasuriya was out of the country. “Minister Jayasuriya is out of the country on a private visit till November 2,” a Ministry official told the Sunday times. But the government asked Mr. Bogollagama to attend the meeting though non-cabinet Home Affairs Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera was in the country.

Mr. Gajadeera when contacted said he was not informed about the meeting. Mr. Bogollagama told the SAARC meeting that member states should strengthen the legal framework to deal with combat and trans-border criminal activities.

Sri Lanka was appreciated for its continued commitment to host the SAARC Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk (STOMD) and the SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (SDOMD) in Colombo. The ministers identified measures to heighten the effectiveness of these two desks in Sri Lanka