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MS to meet Tamil diaspora, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Lanka
View(s):President Maithripala Sirisena, who left for Britain on a three-day visit yesterday morning, will meet with members of Tamil diaspora groups in London, Foreign Ministry sources said.
These include the British Tamils Forum and The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils. He will also hold talks with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sri Lanka, chaired by Lord Naseby.
His predecessor, Mahinda Rajapaksa, had avoided all meetings with Tamil diaspora groups and was routinely met with street demonstrations by pro-LTTE protesters in London.
President Sirisena, as Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth, will attend Commonwealth Day observances tomorrow. The occasion is marked by a range of activities, including a multi-faith ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London followed by a reception hosted by Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma. Queen Elizabeth, as Head of the Commonwealth, will attend the event with Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
The President is expected to hold talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron. He is accompanied by is wife Jayanthi Sirisena and top Government officials.