<span style="color: #222222;">This was agreed to during meeting of visiting Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today.<br />'' <br />'' Both the leaders agreed that the Indian Ocean must remain free and open for all nations for their economic upliftment.<br />'' <br />'' President Rajapaksa said, it was Sri Lanka that proposed the Indian Ocean be declared as a zone of peace in early 70s.<br />'' <br />'' Maldivian Minister highlighted the importance of improving people to people relations between the two countries.</span><br />''