{"id":111968,"date":"2021-02-23T16:53:05","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T23:53:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=111968"},"modified":"2021-02-23T16:53:05","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T23:53:05","slug":"opening-remarks-of-prime-minister-mahinda-rajapaksa-at-the-bilateral-discussion-with-prime-minister-imran-khan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/02\/23\/opening-remarks-of-prime-minister-mahinda-rajapaksa-at-the-bilateral-discussion-with-prime-minister-imran-khan\/","title":{"rendered":"Opening Remarks of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Bilateral Discussion with Prime Minister Imran Khan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prime Minister\u2019s Media Unit<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Your Excellency, Prime Minister Imran Khan, let me\nextend a warm and cordial welcome to you and your delegation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, Your Excellency, you are the first foreign\nHead of Government to visit Sri Lanka after I assumed office as the the Prime\nMinster of Sri Lanka after the General Elections last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On my invitation, you have chosen to visit Sri Lanka\nwith great friendship, despite great challenges, including COVID-19 risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your visit symbolizes the deep affinity you and your\ngovernment so dearly cherish towards the people of my country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I admire your courage and the great leadership that\nis evident in crucial decisions you have taken at times of crises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even this visit is a clear demonstration of the\nleadership quality that I have seen decades ago when you led the Pakistan\u2019s\nNational Cricket Team against strong opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Excellency,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have observed your rise to the high office through\nthe common people\u2019s power and years of activism. That demonstrates your true\nlove for the oppressed and the needy. Your people centric governance agenda\ngoes hand in hand with my own government\u2019s approach towards empowering the\ngrassroots level communities and underprivileged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me take this opportunity to wish you and your\ngovernment all success at the forthcoming Senate election in Pakistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ties between our two countries are closely\nlinked by history, culture, religion, and our deep bilateral cooperation has\nbecome an all-weather friendship which has withstood the test of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relations between our two nations have now expanded\nto many sectors. But we have great potential before us to further strengthen\nour bilateral cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I must thank Your Excellency for accompanying a\nstrong business delegation with promising signs of investments and commercial\npartnerships. At a time of economic uncertainty, such private sector investments\nwill greatly benefit both our economies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recall with much pleasure my most recent visit to\nPakistan in 2017 and previously as President. Both visits were very productive\nand memorable for me. I was indeed touched by the hospitality and the warm\nreception given to me and my delegation by the friendly people of Pakistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Excellency, allow me to introduce my\ndelegation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On my right are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena \u2014 Foreign Minister Hon.\nBandula Gunawardena \u2014 Minister of Trade Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga \u2014 Minister of\nTourism Hon. Ali Sabry \u2014 Minister of Justice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hon. Tharaka Balasuriya \u2014 State Minister of Regional\nCooperation Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage \u2014 Foreign Secretary<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. S.R. Attygalle \u2014 Secretary to the Treasury,\nMinistry of Finance<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On my left are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hon. Prof. G.L.Peiris \u2014 Minister of Education<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage \u2014 Minister of\nAgriculture Hon. Namal Rajapakse \u2014 Minister of Youth and Sports<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hon. Lohan Ratwatte \u2014 State Minister of Prison\nManagement and Prisoners\u2019 Rehabilitation; and State Minister of Gem &\nJewelry Related Industries<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hon. Ajith Nivard Cabraal \u2014 State Minister of Money\n& Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Gamini S. Senarath \u2014 Secretary to the Prime\nMinister General Kamal Gunaratne \u2014 Secretary, Ministry of Defense<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Prime Minister\u2019s Media Unit Your Excellency, Prime Minister Imran Khan, let me extend a warm and cordial welcome to you and your delegation. In fact, Your Excellency, you are the first foreign Head of Government to visit Sri Lanka after I assumed office as the the Prime Minster of Sri Lanka after the General Elections […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111968"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111968\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}