Two Indian Consulates General formally confirmed
August 20, 2010 01:05 pm
The establishment of two Consulates General of India in Jaffna and Hambantota was formalized today wit h the Exchange of Notes between Foreign Secretary C.R. Jayasinghe and High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha, the Indian High Commission in Colombo confirmed.
The Full release;
During the State Visit of His Excellency the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to India in June 2010 and following his discussions with the Prime Minister of India, the two leaders had agreed on establishing the Consulates General of India in Jaffna and in Hambantota to reinforce consular cooperation and friendly links between the two countries. The Prime Minister of India had also welcomed Sri Lanka’s interest in establishing a further Post in India, in addition to those in Chennai and in Mumbai functioning under the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi.
In order to implement and
formalize this understanding, an Exchange of Notes took place this morning at
the Sri Lankan Ministry of External Affairs between Foreign Secretary C.R.
Jayasinghe and High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha. It has accordingly been
agreed that the consular district of the proposed Consulate General of India in
Jaffna would cover the five districts of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka,
namely, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Mannar. The consular
district of the proposed Consulate General of India in Hambantota would cover
the districts of Galle, Matara, Hambantota and Moneragala. (Moneragala will be
transferred from the consular district of the existing Assistant High
Commission of India in Kandy.) It has also been agreed that any expansion of the
consular districts of the proposed Consulates General could be considered
subsequently through mutual consent. The Government of India has also welcomed
Sri Lanka’s interest in establishing a further Post in India, in addition to
those in Chennai and in Mumbai functioning under the High Commission of Sri
Lanka in New Delhi.
It is expected that the
two Consulates General of India in Jaffna and Hambantota will be set up in the
near future.
