The Sri Lankan parliamentary delegation headed by Hon. ( Dr.) Rajitha Senaratne, President of Sri Lanka-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Association & Minister of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine, met with Dr. Riyad Al-Malki Minister of Foreign Affairs of Palestine. The delegation included members of the Sri Lankan parliament, Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, Hon. Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana, Hon. K. Kader Masthan, Hon. S. Sivamohan, and the Representative of Sri Lanka in Palestine Mr. M. Fawzan Anver.
Dr. Al-Malki welcomed the delegation, expressing the thanks of Palestine to Sri Lanka's people and its leadership, government and parliament, and for the historical support to the Palestinian people and their struggle to achieve their rights and getting their freedom and self-determination. Al-Malki has hailed the depth of relations between Palestine and Sri Lanka, where he discussed with Dr. Senaratne and the accompanying delegation the ways to develop relations at all levels to serve the interests of the two friendly countries and their peoples. Al-Malki stressed on the important role they can play in the Sri Lankan political support for the Palestinian cause in all regional and international forums. Also Dr. Al-Malki thanked H. E. the President Maithripala Siresena and Mr. Fawzan Anver, Representative of Sri Lanka in Palestine for Sri Lanka’s financial contribution to support the reform of the Embassy of the State of the Palestine, in addition to the granted piece of land to the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Colombo.
It is worth to mention that a Palestinian - Sri Lankan parliamentary friendship committee was formed on 17th April 2016. Al- Malki has briefed the Sri Lankan parliamentary delegation about the political and diplomatic developments in the Palestinian arena, the ongoing Israeli violations against the Palestinian people and the foundations of its existence and their steadfastness on their land. Where Israel continues to field executions, settlement activities, land leveling, and intrusions of all the cities, villages, towns and refugee camps in the West Bank, and aggression on the Islamic and Christianity sanctities, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the unjust blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and the suffering of continuing our people there.
Dr. Al-Malki And Dr. Senaratne also discussed ways to ensure the success of political consultations to be held between the two countries in the foreseeable future meeting, and they also discussed the possibility of bilateral visits to encourage, tourism and religious tourism to, as well as commercial exchanges, mutual investments, and the exchange of business visits, while al-Malki added that Palestine can put all its capabilities and expertise in agriculture, medicine and high-tech fields in the interests of the two friendly service.
Dr. Senaratne thanked Dr. Al-Malki for the fully detailed explanation about the situation experienced by Palestinians. He also spoke about the historical relationship between Palestine and Sri Lanka and that Sri Lanka always supported the Palestinian people and their rights in all international forums, organizations and bodies.
The meeting was attended by the high officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Palestine along with the delegation.
Representative Office of Sri Lanka
Palestine
17.10.2016
