Acknowledging the progress made by Sri Lanka, despite a difficult and painful past, Visiting Under Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister for Asia and Pacific of the United Kingdom (UK) Mark Field pledged UK Government’s continued support for the efforts of the Unity Government to implement the commitments made by it to the people of Sri Lanka, Foreign Affairs ministry said.
On his first official visit to Sri Lanka since assuming the portfolio, met with Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana yesterday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He welcomed a closer partnership with the UK to further consolidate the historic and enduring bilateral political, trade, cultural relations, including people-to -people contacts. Recalling the shared values and interests between the UK and Sri Lanka as members of the Commonwealth, Minister Field invited Sri Lanka to play an active role to develop a new roadmap for the organization to meet the challenges and needs of the new century in the run up to CHOGM 2018 in the UK.
Foreign Minister Marapana provided an overview of the implementation of the commitments made by the Unity Government since 2015, and stated that by reforming Sri Lanka’s constitutional framework, Sri Lanka will regain its status as a stable, peaceful and fully fledged democracy in the region.
Foreign Secretary Prasad Kariyawasam, UK’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka James Dauris participated in the discussions during the meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana and Under Secretary of State Mark Field.
Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament today that the suspect in the rape of a lady doctor at the Anuradhapura teaching hospital has been identified as an army deserter and he will be apprehended shortly.
Police have arrested the suspect connected to the sexual assault on a female doctor at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital today morning in Galnewa.
The Dutch Public Prosecutor suspects two companies of paying bribes in the construction of hospitals in Sri Lanka, according to an investigation by FD, the Dutch financial newspaper.
The Minister of Power, Kumara Jayakody, stated that in the future, internationally funded projects, such as power projects, will only be carried out through government-to-government (G2G) agreements and competitive procurement.
The Government today tabled in the House the Report of the Commission to Inquiry into the Establishment and Maintenance of Unlawful Places of Detention and Torture Chambers in the Batalanda Housing Scheme.
Israel, a major player in the global diamond and jewellery trade, has invited Sri Lankan gem and jewellery businessmen and designers to collaborate with Israeli diamond traders.
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