A top defence ministry official said yesterday, "there were plans to sign the proposed defence pact during President Kumartunga's five day visit to India, but due to this latest development the signing of the agreement would take place in a few weeks".
Earlier the Air Force reported to the Defence Ministry the urgent necessity to repair the Palaly military runway. Later the Indian government offered to rehabilitate the runway and related facilities and submitted a report to the Sri Lankan government stating the estimated cost of the project is 480 million Indian rupees. "They offered this on the basis that the the runway should be for the exclusive use of Sri Lankan and Indian air craft", the official said.
While this disagreement continues, the Air Force demanded the immediate rehabilitation of the runway as it continued to damage air craft due to its derelict state.
Later the government decided to rehabilitate the runway with internal funds. Accordingly, the Road Development Authority had carried out the initial examination about the runway and estimated the cost of the project as Rs 360 million for the project.
Following the Cabinet approval, the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) was appointed to carry out the runway rehabilitation work. Already a team from CECB has visited the area on an initial assessesment prior to starting the repair work, the official added. Last week a team of officials headed by Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Cyril Herath with the three service commanders held talks with a five member Indian defence delegation led by Additional Secretary of the Indian Defence Ministry Ranjith Issar and finalised the draft agreement aimed at greater military cooperation in military training, exchange of military intelligence, maritime surveillance, joint military exercise, defence supplies and bilateral meetings at different levels of the security establishment.
Under the defence agreement exchange of military intelligence would be the main focus. Two centres would be set up both in Colombo and New Delhi manned by both governments' intelligence members to deal with the security of the Indian Ocean region, including the national security of both countries and also to prevent any terrorist activities.
