Saturday, 28 June 2014 00:31
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The Maldives Government has said the visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa was a milestone in friendly relations between the two countries.
“Your Excellency is the first foreign leader to visit our country after the current President assumed duties. Your Excellency, your visit is a milestone in our friendly relations,” Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives Dunya Maumoon who met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Kurumba Island Resort on Thursday.
President Rajapaksa, while expressing satisfaction at the continuous development of the bilateral relations between the two countries thanked the Maldives Government for the warm hospitality and friendly reception extended to him and the delegation.
President Rajapaksa and the Foreign Minister further exchanged views on the matters which were discussed at official negotiations on the previous day. Both the President and the Foreign Minister agreed that SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) should be strengthened for the welfare of member countries. This should be achieved on an equal platform irrespective of each member country’s various geographical and economic differences, they emphasised.
“Sri Lanka has helped us a lot. Maldives too continuously supported Sri Lanka at international fora. That support is assured in the future too,” Foreign Minister Maumoon said. While focusing attention on the Commonwealth the President and the Foreign Minister agreed on the fact that the organisation should be guided on the correct path as there are attempts to use it as a political tool.
Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Higher Education S.B. Dissanayake, Monitoring MP of the Ministry of External Affairs Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Kshenuka Senewiratne and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Maldives Dixon Dela Bandara were also present at the discussion.
