Sri Lanka reaffirms commitment to advance and consolidate ties with Czech Republic

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera has reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to further advance and consolidate its long established bilateral relationship with the Czech Republic, when he met the Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Lubomir Zaoralek on 10 June. 

Samaraweera was in the Czech Republic from 9-11 June at the invitation of the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs. The above visit was the first undertaken to the country by a Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister following the election of a new Government in 2015.

Adding new momentum to the Sri Lanka-Czech Republic political relations spanning 59 years since 1957, an invitation to Czech President Milos Zeman from President Maithripala Sirisena to visit Sri Lanka was handed over by Minister Samaraweera at the meeting with his Czech counterpart. He also conveyed Sri Lanka Government’s appreciation for the steady support of the Czech Republic during its fight against LTTE terrorism, including the generous and substantial flood relief provided to assist Sri Lanka’s recovery from the recently damaging floods. 

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera (left)with Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Lubomir Zaoralek

Demonstrating the keenness on both sides to revitalise and advance the bilateral economic agenda, an agreement on Mutual Cooperation between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic and Ministry of Economic Development in Sri Lanka was initialled in the presence of Samaraweera and Czech Republic’s Deputy Trade Minister Slukova, paving the way for its formal signing in the coming months. The Minister also attended a breakfast meeting with representatives of leading Czech companies during the visit.  

The discussions not only reviewed the ongoing bilateral cooperation in a number of areas, but also identified new avenues of partnership in sectors such as power and energy, waste management, automobile production, defence, aviation, advanced medical treatment, among other sectors. 

Samaraweera provided a detailed overview of the Sri Lankan Government’s focus on restoring democracy, fostering reconciliation and ensuring economic development as peace dividends to all Sri Lankans. In response, Zaoralek welcoming the positive developments in Sri Lanka following the Presidential and Parliamentary elections in 2015 reiterated the Czech Government’s full support for Sri Lanka’s committed efforts to restore democracy, and reconciliation, including support for the Government’s outreach to the international community.  Samaraweera also invited Zaoralek to visit Sri Lanka in 2017 when both countries will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

The Minister also met with senior Government officials in the Czech Senate, Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament, Defence and Security and Trade. Samaraweera was also invited to be chief guest at the christening of a Sri Lankan origin baby elephantat the Prague Zoo. The baby elephant was christened Maximilian (Max)to honour the history of a gift of a Sri Lankan elephant in the 1550s to the Habsburg Archduke Maximilian II (later King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, and Holy Roman Emperor). The christening ceremony and associated celebrations were a successful public diplomacy event demonstrating the enduring friendship between Sri Lanka and the Czech Republic.  Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Designate to the Czech Republic Priyanee Wijesekera, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Sri Lanka Dr. Lolitha Samarawickrama, Acting Director General Dhammika Semasinghe and Second Secretary Namal Wijayamuni Soysa were associated with the Foreign Minister during the visit.