All stakeholders to be briefed on ETCA and China FTA

The Government today informed Parliament that all stakeholders will be briefed on the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperative Agreement (ETCA) with India and the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China.

President Maithripala Sirisena assured Parliament, approval will be sought on the Indo-Lanka agreement.

He said that if there are any concerns on the agreement the clauses which rise concerns will be amended.

“Nothing has been finalised. This is only at a discussion stage,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama also said that concerns being raised on ETCA are misleading.

He said that since the agreement has not been finalised any concerns raised on?ETCA are baseless.

The Minister also said that Sri Lanka is looking at strengthening its economy through agreements like those to be signed with India and China.

He said that Sri Lanka is to also sign an agreement with a Chinese company over the Hambantota port.

The Minister said the?Hambantota port has been operating at a loss and the Government is not in a position to cover those losses.

He said that Sri Lanka hopes to earn approximately USD 1.2 a month from the agreement with the Chinese company.?(Colombo Gazette)