MINISTER G. L. PEIRIS VISITS WASHINGTON DC FOR BILATERAL TALKS UNDER US-SRI LANKA TRADE AND INVESTMENT
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT (TIFA)

Sixth Meeting of the TIFA Joint Council in session

Hon. (Prof.) G. L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade visited Washington D.C. from 25th May to 01st June 2008 for the 6th meeting of the Joint Council under the US-Sri Lanka Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).

Minister Peiris led the Sri Lanka delegation during the TIFA talks, while Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador John Veroneau led the US team. Among the other officials, who participated in the talks were the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Untied States, H. E. Bernard Goonetilleke and the U.S. Ambassador in Sri Lanka, H. E. Robert Blake.

The two sides had detailed discussions on a number of policy matters pertaining to market access, technical cooperation in protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and anti-dumping & countervailing duty measures, regulations applicable to GM food, government procurement etc.

Minister meets with Mr. Evan Feigenbaum / Deputy Asst. Secretary Bureau of South Asia & Central Asian Affairs, US Department of State

Minister with Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director (Asia & Pacific) / World Bank - Washington DC

Minister meets with Mr. Cass Johnson - President, National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), USA

Apart from the TIFA discussions, the Minister held series of briefings with senior officials of several US authorities and international bodies such as the Department of Commerce, Department of State, National Security Council, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, the World Bank etc. and the U.S. business community. The primary focus of these briefings was the on-going political and economic developments in Sri Lanka and the numerous investment opportunities available to the foreign entrepreneurs.

Embassy of Sri Lanka
Washington DC
USA

19 June 2008