Malaysian PM assures CHOGM participation during bilateral meeting with President
Monday, 1 July 2013 00:14
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa met Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohamed Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak on Saturday afternoon in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The bilateral meeting took place on the sidelines of the Global 2013 Smart Partnership Dialogue.
The two leaders discussed the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will take place in Sri Lanka in November. President Rajapaksa updated the Prime Minister on the current status of planning and also invited Malaysia to send a delegation for the business forum that will be held on the sidelines of CHOGM.
Prime Minister Dato Sri Najib assured President Rajapaksa of Malaysia’s participation and wished the summit success.
“We supported Sri Lanka’s hosting of CHOGM so we should be there,” the Prime Minister said.
President Rajapaksa also briefed the Prime Minister of the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and post-conflict development activities. The President said the best way to determine Sri Lanka’s progress after the war is to come to the country in person. The Malaysian Prime Minister agreed and said: “It’s better for you to go there and see for yourself instead of passing judgment.”
It will be the first time the Prime Minister will be visiting Sri Lanka. Joining the conversation, Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato’ Sri Anifah Hj Aman who had been in Sri Lanka 13 years ago, said it was really difficult to get things done in those days and there is a “big improvement today.”
Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Governor of the Central Bank Ajit Nivard Cabraal were present for the meeting.
