Hugo Swire arrives

Britain’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hugo Swire has arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) today. Minister Swire is expected to call on President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan and former President Kumaratunga during his visit.

He will also meet Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Law and Order & Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake and several other ministers and deputy ministers.Minister Swire will participate in Thai Pongal celebrations in Jaffna on 15th January 2016 together with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He will also meet the Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council, C.V. Wigneswaran.  Minister Swire will attend the Galle Literary Festival on 16th January 2016, prior to his departure. Minister Swire last visited Sri Lanka in January 2015.

According to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office,the visit is the latest in a series of high level engagements between the governments of the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka over the last year. Relations between the two countries have been reinvigorated since the election of President Sirisena in January 2015.

Mr Swire will welcome the Sri Lankan government’s commitment to reconciliation and strengthening democracy since the end of its civil war, as well as progress made so far. His discussions will focus on further developing cooperation between the two countries and on UK support for Sri Lankan efforts to tackle the legacy of the conflict.

During his three-day visit, Mr Swire will meet President Maithripela Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and a number of other Ministers.

"Sri Lanka made important commitments when it co-sponsored a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution in Geneva last October, which we hope to see implemented ahead of the June 2016 UNHRC. I have been encouraged and impressed by President Sirisena’s government, his commitment to tackle the legacy of Sri Lanka’s conflict – which has cast a shadow for too many years – and his keenness to restore democracy, underpinned by a stable, secure and integrated country." he said.