Mangala to meet Annan in Tokyo

Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera who is in Japan making his first official visit, will meet United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in Tokyo today.

The Minister is expected to brief the UN Chief on the current state of the peace process and the on going efforts to revive the truce talks.

Annan is in Japan as part of an East Asian tour with stops in China and South Korea.

Minister Samaraweera will be hosted to lunch by Japanese Special Envoy for Reconstruction, and Peace Building Yasushi Akashi after which he will deliver an address at the Japan Institute for International Affairs on the Sri Lankan Peace process.

On Friday, the Minister will hold discussions with Japanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki at the Finance Ministry. The talks will focus on development assistance to Sri Lanka. Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera accompanying the Minister will also take part in these discussions.

The Minister is also scheduled to meet the Japan Bank For International Corporation (JBIC) Governor Kyosuke Shinozawa on Friday.

He will be hosted to dinner by his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso.