President returns after busy NAM Summit

President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday after participating in the 15th Non-Aligned Summit, which concluded in Sharm El - Sheikh, Egypt.

In addition his participation at the NAM Summit as the Head of State of a founder member of the Non Aligned Movement, President Rajapaksa also had a very busy schedule of bi-lateral discussions with several Heads of State and Government.

In his address to the NAM Summit President Rajapaksa explained the new situation in Sri Lanka following the defeat of terrorism.

He also expressed the need for NAM to play a new role in meeting the new challenge of the Global Financial and Economic Crises, as well give leadership to pragmatic approaches to major problems of Climate Change, Environmental Protection and Global Warming.

During his two day visit President Rajapaksa had meetings with eight national leaders and the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon.

The national leaders with whom he had bi-lateral discussions were the President of Cuba Raul Castro, the outgoing Chair of NAM; Leader of Libya Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Raza Gilani, President of South Africa Jacob Zuma, Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato Abdul Razak and Prime Minister of Nepal Madhav Kumar.