President on official visit to Ukraine

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will undertake an official visit to Ukraine from June 29 to July 3, 2010 at the invitation of President Victor Yanukovich.

This will be the first visit by a Sri Lankan Head of State to the Ukraine.

During the visit President Rajapaksa will hold bilateral discussions with the President of Ukraine as well as with the Prime Minister and other senior Ministers of the Government of Ukraine.

President Rajapaksa is also scheduled to visit the Parliament of Ukraine and to address the National Defence University of Ukraine.

A Sri Lanka-Ukraine Business Forum has also been organized parallel to the President’s visit and is expected to strengthen cooperation in the trade and economic sectors between the two countries.

A Sri Lankan Cultural Evening featuring the Sri Lanka Air Force Cultural Troupe will also take place during the visit.

The visit is expected to expand the bilateral relations between the two countries in the sectors related to Economy and Trade, Tourism and Human Resource Development.

President Rajapaksa will be accompanied among others by External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador accredited to Ukraine Udayanga Weeratunga.