Colombo, Sep 20 (IANS): Representatives from 32 Asian countries have gathered here for the 8th General Assembly of International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) aimed at looking for new ways to promote connectivity in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the conference Friday, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa warned the leaders to to protect the sovereignty of the Asian nations from external forces that seek to interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries under the guise of democracy, Xinhua reported.

Rajapaksa said that the emerging trends in the world give signals that are dangerous to the Asian community.

"We see how external forces under the guise of democracy and other enticing slogans seek to interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries," he said.

"They encourage domestic disharmony and we now see how the media including social media is being used by the forces that are continuing the cause of division, separation and terror," Rajapaksa added.

The four-day conference, which is jointly hosted by the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP), will be held till Sunday under the theme "Building an Asian Community".

Delegates of 75 political parties, including those from China, are participating in the meeting.

Rajapaksa said "Building an Asian Community" requires the unity of Asia to address these dangerous trends and there must be cooperation to protect the sovereignty of the nations of Asia.

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen also addressed the conference.

The ICAPP is a forum of political parties of Asian countries which was launched in The Philippines in September 2000.