Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Friday said that Pakistan greatly values its relation with Sri Lanka, which is based on cordiality and mutual respect, Pakistan's Daily Times reported.

Talking to a 41-member delegation from Sri Lanka, led by Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, at the Foreign Affairs Office, the adviser appreciated commonality of views between the two countries on major regional and global issues. He welcomed tourists from Sri Lanka, particularly religious tourists, as Pakistan is home to century’s old Buddhist monuments and relics.

The speaker thanked the adviser for the hospitality accorded to the delegation and reciprocated the warm sentiments on cordial bilateral relations. He noted that the presence of valuable Gandhara civilisation and monuments in Pakistan is a great asset for Buddhists from all over the world.

Sri Lankan Buddhist Affairs and Justice minister, monks, civil servants and academicians were also included in the delegation. He expressed his keen desire for cooperation between the two countries on the subject of preservation of these archaeological sites and devising mechanism for promoting Sri Lankan tourists to Pakistan.

(With inputs from Daily Times)