Chile and Sri Lanka discuss strengthening relations
Monday, 9 September 2013 00:01
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Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Brazil Raja Edirisuriya met Director-General of Asia Pacific Fernando Varela Palma and Ambassador and Director of Ceremonial James Sinclair at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Santiago, Chile recently.
Ambassador Sinclair requested a Sri Lanka trade mission to visit Chile in order to generate more business opportunities between the two countries. He further highlighted the importance of having a Sri Lankan business delegation visit the Pacific Alliance countries of Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Chile.
It was noted that according to recent trade statistics, Sri Lanka exports items including tea and apparels to Chile with a value of US$ 32.47 where Chile exports items including meat products, wine and fabrics, to Sri Lanka with a value of US$ 6.22 million.
Palma recommended the participation of Sri Lanka in a major world food fair in Chile, to promote Ceylon Tea. He also highlighted the requirement of an enhanced effort to promote Sri Lanka in Chile in order to improve the awareness among the Chilean community. He specifically emphasised the importance of popularising the name of Sri Lanka in Chile as a popular tourist destination.
Palma requested the assistance of the Ambassador in locating the house of Pablo Neruda, a famous Nobel Prize winner poet who worked as a diplomat in Colombo during the period of 1929-1930.
Edirisuriya invited Chile to participate in the Commonwealth Business Forum, which will be held in Sri Lanka from 12-14 November, identifying it as an excellent opportunity for Chilean representatives to meet 54 Head of States from Commonwealth nations and participants from over 2,000 business organisations.
Sinclair, Edirisuriya, Consul General for Sri Lanka in Chile Juan Sebastian Vicuna and Palma participated in the discussion.
