Hungary to provide scholarships to Sri Lanka

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

The Hungarian government has turned its attention to providing a series of educational scholarships to Sri Lanka following a meeting between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Hungarian President Janos Ader on Friday. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The scholarships on health education, such as, medical and dental health, received much focus, according to reports reaching from Brazil .

The two leaders also contemplated on having effective water resource management systems for both countries, during the meeting.

Talks also focused on how Sri Lanka can go about promoting Solar Power as a means to address its future power requirements.

Meanwhile, in another meeting held between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of Rio +20 summit,the two Presidents vowed to function in unity to strengthen the Non-alignment Movement.

President Rajapaksa and President Ahmadinejad discussed the importance of empowering the Non -Alignment Movement to become a powerful organization of independent nations. It should strengthen the capacity of sovereign countries to move forward strongly as independent nations, the two leaders agreed, sources in Brazil yesterday told the Daily News.

The two leaders discussed at length the progress of the Uma Oya Water Supply Project and Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery Expansion Project, funded by Iran. They also discussed the ongoing rural electrification projects in Sri Lanka funded by the Iranian government.

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris, Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Construction Engineering Services Housing and Common Amenities Mainister Wimal Weerawansa, MP Sajin De Vas Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge and Sri Lankan ambassador to Brazil Dr Mahinda Balasuriya were present on this occasion.