Sri Lanka urges India to remove non-tariff barriers

Kochi, Apr 16 (UNI) While welcoming India's decision to accept ''asymmetric responsibilities'' in relations with neighbouring countries, Sri Lankan Minister for Export Development and International Trade G L Peiris today stressed the need for New Delhi to dismantle ''non-tariff barriers'' to imports.

Inaugurating a two-day workshop and B2B meet between the Kerala and Sri Lankan chambers of commerce and industry here, Mr Peiris said these non-tariff barriers acted as a ''wet blanket'' and dampened the trade relations between the two countries.

''I know that these cannot be removed overnight but a systematic and gradual effort should be made to dismantle the non-tariff barriers such as limited ports of import, customs and certification regulations,'' he added.

Stating that the trade between India and Sri Lanka had burgeoned following the bilateral Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect in 2000, Mr Peiris said the two countries were now negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Parternership Agreement (CEPA), which would cover not only trade in goods but also services.

The prime ministers of the two countries had started discussions in June, 2002, regarding the CEPA, which will take the existing economic relations to a higher level. So far, three rounds of trade negotiating committee (TNC) meetings had been held and the draft texts of the main CEPA was under negotiation, Mr H M B Herath, Minister (Commercial), in the Sri Lankan high commission said.

''The two sides expect to conclude the negotating process by the middle of this year,'' he added.

Delivering the keynote address, Kerala's Home Affairs and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan mooted a ''Tourism Triangle'' covering Kerala, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Stating that these areas could be packaged as a single ''tourism zone'', Mr Balakrishanan said the Kerala and Sri Lankan travel industries could undertake joint marketing campaigns and also initiate joint ventures.

Stating that Kerala had proposed to start a passenger ship service between Colombo and Vizhinjam port near Thiruvananthapuram, the minister said this would be beneficial to both sides. ''Some talks are going on in this regard,'' he added.

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