Ministry News – Page 279 – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism

Remarks to Media by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera on Human Rights Day

Remarks to Media by

Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs

on Human Rights Day

Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 10th December 2015.

Ladies & Gentleman,

Today is Human Rights Day, as you know. And as in the past, Sri Lanka will join the countries of the world in commemorating this important event. But this year, Sri Lanka’s commemorations will not only be symbolic – it will also be substantive. So I am very pleased to announce that Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will today, this morning in New York, in fact, will be signing the International Convention on Enforced Disappearances.

CTBTO Executive Secretary meets Hon. Dep. Foreign Minister

CTBTO-ExecSec-DepFM

Mr. Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Preparatory Commission along with a delegation from the Preparatory Commission meet Hon. Dr. Harsha De Silva, Deputy Foreign Minister at the Ministry today, 4 December 2015.

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera meets the Chargé d’ Affaires of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Colombo

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera had an urgent meeting today (2^nd December 2015) with the Chargé d’ Affaires of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Colombo at the Parliament complex to express the concerns of the Government of Sri Lanka on the reported judgment of the Dawadmi Court of Saudi Arabia which states that a Sri Lankan national should be stoned to death on the charge of adultery. Ministers Thalatha Atukorale, A.H.M. Fowzie, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment R. K. Obeyesekere and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were associated with the Foreign Minister at the meeting.

Visit of Russian Delegation of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly – 30th November – 2nd December

A five-member delegation led by Mr. Ilyas Mahomed-Salomovich Umakhanov, Vice Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly visited Sri Lanka from 30^th November to 2^nd December 2015.

Common values are important and not the power of wealth – President Sirisena tells Commonwealth

CHOGM2015-opening

President Maithripala Sirisena said he is fully satisfied with the accomplishment of goals set at the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo and during the period of the last two years, when Sri Lanka was the Chair in Office of the Commonwealth.

Foreign Minister Samaraweera signs agreement for creation of Commonwealth Trade Finance Fund for Small States

CHOGM-FMsigning

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera together with the Foreign Ministers of India, Malta and Mauritius signed a Declaration of Intent for the creation of a Commonwealth Trade Finance Facility to assist boost trade and investment flows, particularly for small and developing countries in Malta on 26^th November 2015.

Foreign Minister takes part at Commonwealth Foreign Ministerial Action Group Meeting at CHOGM, 2015

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera participated at the Commonwealth Foreign Ministerial Action Group Meeting (CMAG) at CHOGM, 2015 in Malta on 25 November 2015.