'Lanka's bilateral ties with other countries growing'

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The government's has bilateral relationships with all countries. US is a long-standing friend of Sri Lanka. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's visit to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris' visit to the African continent and the US diplomats' upcoming visit to Sri Lanka are connected to strengthening bilateral relationships between Sri Lanka and foreign countries, Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday, Minister Yapa said that foreign visits of Sri Lanka diplomats and diplomats from foreign countries are periodic.

"They discuss activities in connection with strengthening bilateral relationships and economic ties between Sri Lanka and the relevant countries," he said.

Yapa said the government considers the Maldivian issue as an internal affair of the Maldives. "Sri Lanka has no intention of getting involved in internal affair of Maldives. The Indian government has already welcomed the new Maldivian government.

"President Rajapaksa requested the new Maldivian government to ensure the safety of the former President and the new Maldivian government has said they will heed the request," he said.

Minister Yapa pointed out that the former Maldivian President's family is in Sri Lanka because Sri Lanka is not a strange and unknown country to them and they consider Sri Lanka as one of the safest places in the world.