Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

FM Samaraweera to visit Geneva

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaweera will travel to Geneva to attend the High-Level Segment of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to be held on 2^nd March 2015. Over 65 Foreign Ministers from around the world will participate in this year's High-Level Segment.

He is also scheduled to meet UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

20^th February 2015

Foreign Minister's Statement in Parliament on EU visit, Fishing & GSP

Brussels-FMandEUComm

UNEDITED SPEECH - 18.2.2015

ගරු මංගල සමරවීර මහතා (විදේශ කටයුතු අමාත්‍යතුමා)

(மாண்புமிகு மங்கள சமரவீர - வெளிநாட்டலுவல்கள் அமைச்சர்)

(The Hon. Mangala Samaraweera - Minister of Foreign Affairs)

Hon. Presiding Member, as you maybe aware, at the end of January, I was in Brussels, the home of the European Union. The objective of my visit was largely to revive positive relations and begin a new chapter in Sri Lanka-European Union relations, based on mutual respect and understanding. But, I was also in Brussels to specifically address two very urgent issues of great national importance: firstly, the EU-IUU fishing ban which was announced on the 14^th of October last year and which came into force three months later, on the 14^th of January this year, exactly one week after the new President was sworn into office. Secondly, I went there to discuss the question of the GSP Plus tariff concession, which was withdrawn from Sri Lanka nearly five years ago as a result of the previous Government’s persistent reluctance to embrace good governance and ensure basic human rights.

Sri Lanka condemns the brutal Killing of 21 Egyptians in Libya.

The Government of Sri Lanka vehemently condemns the gruesome killing of twenty one Coptic Christian Egyptians by the terrorist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Libya last Sunday, 15^th February 2015.

President returns after successful visit to India

President Maithripala Sirisena returned to the island today (Feb.18) after completing a successful three-day State visit to India.

This was the first overseas visit by President Sirisena after assumption of office last month.

During his visit, President Sirisena met with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The President also met several political leaders and other dignitaries.

India keen to make Sri Lanka a closest friend in economic affairs – PM Modi

Pres.Sirisena_and_PM_Modi

The Indian government is most keen to make Sri Lanka among the closest friends of India in the economic sector and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s official visit to India give great strength to this said the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said so at the discussions with President Sirisena at Hyderabad House in New Delhi this afternoon.