President Maithripala Sirisena’s office has denied parts of a statement issued by the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo yesterday.
The President’s Media Division said that its attention has been drawn to a media release issued by the Pakistan High Commission on the High Commissioner’s meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena.
The President’s Media Division said that the meeting took place on the request of the High Commissioner of Pakistan during which he briefed the President about the recent developments with regards to India’s abrogation of Section 370 and annulling of Article 35A of the Constitution of India.
“The President gave a careful hearing to the Pakistan High Commissioner’s views and stated that both India and Pakistan have excellent friendly relations with Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka’s interest is to see the growth of regional cooperation and friendship. The President did not make any other comment on the issues pertaining to India and Pakistan,” the President’s Media Division said.
The statement by the Pakistan High Commission had quoted the President as saying that at the meeting the President had acknowledged that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory and expressed his desire that this dispute should be resolved according to wishes of Kashmiris under UN Resolutions.
The statement had also quoted the President as saying that the resolution of the Kashmir issue is essential for permanent peace and stability in the region.
The Pakistan High Commission said the President had also offered Sri Lanka’s mediation and facilitation of dialogue between Pakistan and India to re-activate the SAARC forum. (Colombo Gazette)