President, Gayoom hold talks in New Delhi

Tuesday, 27 May 2014 01:34 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom held bilateral discussions in New Delhi yesterday evening. The two leaders discussed a number of matters of mutual interest, including the joint economic commission. The progress of the memorandums of

understanding (MoUs) on youth and skills development, sports and training in various sectors was discussed. The MoUs were signed when the Maldivian President was in Sri Lanka on a state visit in January of this year. President Rajapaksa thanked Maldives for its support to Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), noting that Maldivian officials in Geneva worked actively on behalf of Sri Lanka. President Gayoom had a specific request for President Rajapaksa to make a visit to Maldives. The Maldivian President was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon and a high-level delegation. The Sri Lankan delegation consisted of Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Livestock and Rural Community Development Arumugam Thondaman, Monitoring MP of the Ministry of External Affairs Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, Mayor of the Jaffna Municipal Council Yogeswaray Patgunarajah, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Kshenuka Senewiratne.