President Maithripala Sirisena who is currently on an official tour to Malaysia, held bilateral discussions with the Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul Razak at the Prime Minister’s Office, yesterday (16).
A colourful welcome ceremony was organized at the premises of the Prime Minister’s Office to welcome the President and as given a Guard of Honor by the Armed Forces.
After a warm welcome by the Malaysian Prime Minister, the President was taken to the Prime Minister’s Office on the red carpet. Both sides of that route were also decorated with the national flags of both countries conveying the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
Later, both the leaders held bilateral discussions. Five agreements were signed between the two leaders covering the areas such as foreign employment, youth development, tourism, culture and agriculture.
Expressing his views, the President said that his prime expectations are to build reconciliation in the country and to create a stable and economically developed Sri Lanka.
He further said that the Government is committed to strengthen the reconciliation process in the country and to create a stable economic development the Government is taking the assistance of friendly countries in the world.
President Sirisena said that the new agreements signed today will pave the way to create new relations between the two countries in the fields of tourism, education, foreign employment and agriculture. The President also suggested the Malaysian Prime Minister to introduce a new scheme to expand the educational opportunities to Sri Lankan students to study in Malaysia.
The President recalled his previous visit to Malaysia 9 years ago as the Minister of Agriculture and said that during that tour the progress made by Malaysia in the field of Agriculture seen through his own eyes and further said the Government expects the technical assistance of Malaysia to develop the Sri Lankan agricultural industry.
The Malaysian Prime Minister stated that the program for coexistence and reconciliation in Sri Lanka has drawn the attention of the entire world. “It is the objective of Malaysia to enhance the investment and trade opportunities in every sector in Sri Lanka”, he said. He also stated that Malaysia is always ready to assist for the investment of the education sector in Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister pointed out that Malaysia has more opportunities for technical training. He also said Malaysia is ready to help Sri Lanka on that regard.
The two leaders also discussed about enhancing of tourism between the two countries.
The Malaysian Prime Minister thanked President Sirisena for visiting Malaysia by accepting his invitation.
President Sirisena, mentioning that this is a historic occasion when Malaysia made an official invitation to a Sri Lankan leader after 19 years, thanked the government of Malaysia for its invitation.
The President further stated that Sri Lanka will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Malaysia. He also invited the Malaysian Prime Minister to visit Sri Lanka.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera, Deputy Minister of Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara, Deputy Minister of Cultural affairs Palitha Thevarapperua and the former Mayor of Colombo A. J. M. Muzammil also participated in this occasion.
