Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Russia, Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka attended a reception dedicated to the 73rd Anniversary of the Independence Day of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, at the invitation of Pakistan's Ambassador H.E. Mr. Qazi M. Khalilullah, on 14 August 2019.
The reception was also marked by the Investiture Ceremony to Award “Sitara-i-Pakistan” to former Director of the Executive Committee of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization- Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS), Col. Gen. Yevgeniy Sysoyev, who also held the post of Deputy Director of Russian Federal Security Bureau (FSB). The gathering was attended by officials from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and State Authorities and Heads of Diplomatic Missions accredited to Moscow.
Ambassador Qazi M. Khalilullah highlighted the importance of promoting peace and stability in South Asia, combatting “separatism, extremism and terrorism”. Col. Gen. Yevgeniy Sysoyev expressed his gratitude to the Government and people of Pakistan for the high evaluation of the SCO-RATS contribution to stability and security in the region.
Special Envoy of President Putin to the SCO, Khakimov addressed the audience and spoke about the mutually beneficial development of cooperation within the SCO countries that comprise over 50 % of world population, further plans for interaction in the region, and the SCO and BRICS Summits to be held in St. Petersburg in July 2020 with 90 preparatory meetings at different levels in the coming months.
