Pakistan, Sri Lanka sign nuclear pact

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have signed six agreements including a civil nuclear deal, two months after Colombo signed an atomic deal with New Delhi during Sri Lanka’s President Mithripala Sirisena’s maiden visit to Pakistan.

Mr Sirisena arrived in Islamabad on April 5 on a three-day visit, and was given a red carpet welcome at the Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s house. A guard of honor was presented to him and the national anthems of both the countries were played on his arrival.

The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understating (MoU) “for cooperation between Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and Atomic Energy Authority of Sri Lanka”. The deal comes amidst the island nation’s efforts to build its first nuclear power point. Other agreements include cooperation in disaster management, shipping, sports, socio-economic development, education and narcotics control.

“At critical moments in our post-independent histories we have stood in solidarity with each other,” said Sirisena, about the importance of the Sri Lanka’s relation with Pakistan.

The details of Pakistan-Sri Lanka agreement were not available. Pakistan has three operational nuclear plants which generate around 740 MW of power and is constructing two more, including a 2,200-megawatt station to be built with Chinese technical assistance on the Arabian Sea coast at Paradise Beach, 40 km west of Karachi.

Sri Lanka’s nuclear pact with India in February was aimed at enhancing bilateral corporation in the transfer and exchange of knowledge and expertise, sharing of resources, capacity building and training of personnel in peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

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