By Walter Jayawardhana

Bahrain, has agreed with Sri Lanka to pump in huge amount of investments into the South Asian country to boost up its economyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  by launching economic and trade ventures by government and private sectors alike.

The Prime Minister of Bahrain who was on a three day state visit to the Indian Ocean island told President Mahinda Rajapaksa that he would encourage Baharaini businessmen to launch ventures in Sri Lanka mainly in jewellery, gems, textiles, ceramics and agricultural domains.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

During the Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al KhalifaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo both sides also agreed to increase trade exchange and boost cooperation in economic , investment and tourism areas.

The two leaders agreed to increase cooperation of oilƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  industries and enable Sri Lanka to avail of BahrainƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s big energy potentials as well as the possibility for both sides to use the otherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s territories to reach out to Asian and Middle East markets .

The Prime Minister and the President also agreed that Sri Lanka avail of BahrainƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s capabilities in the financial and banking fields through intensive exchange of experts and know-how in activation of previous and current agreements.

During the discussionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the Prime Minister of Bahrain congratulated President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s success in curbing terrorism and strengthening security and stability also opening new opportunities to invest.

Before that the Sri Lankan President briefed the gulf leader how the terrorists and separatists were defeated. Rajapaksa said that the Prime MinisterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s visit had come within a short period of the end of security problems. He also briefedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s efforts aimed at supporting security and stability throughout the country after the defeat of the terrorists.

President Rajapaksa also did not forget to thank the Bahrain leader forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  looking after about 25,000 Sri Lanka expatriate workers who are working in the oil rich gulf nation.

The Prime Minister said he wanted to invigorate both the private and public sectors to have economic and trade ventures with Sri Lanka.

In the presence of the Bahrain Prime Minister and President Rajapaksa memos of understanding that cover cooperation in economic , trade and technical fields as well as on cooperation between the two foreign ministers were signed.

The foreign ministers mou was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Shikh Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al Khalifa and Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

Shaikh Mohamed also signed an agreement with Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s tourism minister Nandana Gunatihilaka to bolster bilateral cooperation and exchange tourist groups.