Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, currently on an official visit to Sri Lanka, held a cordial discussion yesterday (03) with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Office in the Sri Lankan Parliament.
Minister Vijitha Herath extended congratulations to the newly formed Australian government and expressed appreciation for the continued support provided by Australia to Sri Lanka. The Australian Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that the new Australian government looks forward to further developing and strengthening its relations with Sri Lanka.
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During the discussion, particular attention was paid to maritime cooperation between the two nations.Richard Marles emphasized the critical importance of bilateral cooperation for regional security and peace.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress made by both countries in combating human trafficking and proposed further strengthening this area through continued collaboration. Minister Vijitha Herath underscored the necessity of cooperating on global trends significant to both countries, both regionally and beyond. He also commended the Australian government for its training and capacity-building programs provided to Sri Lanka’s defense sector. Additionally, the discussion focused on opportunities to further bolster the existing bilateral ties between Australia and Sri Lanka.