1. On the invitation of Hon. Martin Kuba, Minister of Industry & Trade of the Czech Republic, Minister of Economic Development of Sri Lanka Hon. Basil Rajapaksaa visited the Czech Republic from 27th – 31st March 2013. Minister of Environment and Renewable Energy of Sri Lanka, Hon. Susil Premajayantha, also took part in the visit.
The Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Chamal Rajapaksa paid his first official visit to Cuba from 26th to 30th March 2013 accompanied by Member of Parliament, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Secretary General of Parliament, Dhammika Dasanayake. The delegation was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Cuba, Sarath Dissanayake.
His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa received a group of visiting Sri Lankan –American community leaders at Temple Trees, Colombo on Tuesday, March 26th , 2013.
During the meeting the President stated that the he expects the unstinted support from all Sri Lankans living abroad to overcome the challenges before the nation.
The High Commissioner Chitranganee Wagiswara hosted a Dinner Meeting at the Official Residence to welcome the Members of the reconstituted Canada-SriLanka Parliamentary Friendship Group.
The Chinese National Geography Publication Co Ltd in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau published a book on Sri Lanka in the Chinese Language titled “Sri Lanka”. The book launching ceremony was held on March 15, 2013 in Beijing.
Says vote a rare moment of solidarity in re-constituted HRC for those who continue to believe in principle
Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha has said Thursdays vote on Sri Lanka in the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), had provided a rare moment of solidarity for countries that continued to believe in principle, to stand up and be counted, at a time the composition of the HRC is heavily weighted in favour of Western powers, and Bangladesh, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Jordan, Russia and Saudi Arabia who resisted action against Sri Lanka in 2012, were no longer members of the HRC. Ambassador Aryasinha said the Government of Sri Lanka was deeply grateful to the countries that stood by Sri Lanka this year - by voting against, abstaining and absenting themselves, and also helping in lobbying for support, thereby resisting this resolution, which was both deeply intrusive, as well as precedent setting.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Cuba, Sarath Dissanayake presented Credentials on 21st March at the Palace of Revolution in Havana to the Deputy President of the Council of State of Cuba, Madam Gladys Maria Bejerano Portela who was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla. For the presentation, Ambassador Dissanayake together with his wife and Attache, Anuruddha left the official residence in a ceremonial motorcade accompanied by Ambassador Luis Castillo Campos of the Protocol Division of the Foreign Ministry and Major Braulio Hernandez Martinez of the Revolution Palace.
