Lankan Missions in India to be expanded

Cabinet approval was granted for a memorandum presented by External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris to expand Sri Lanka's diplomatic and consular representations

in India through expansion of the existing missions in India to suit the present day needs, Cabinet Spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Media Ministry auditorium yesterday, Minister Rambukwella said approval has been granted to appoint two Tamil speaking officers from the public service to the office of the Deputy High Commission of Sri Lanka in Chennai. Consulate General in Mumbai will be headed by a senior officer from the SLOS and to create an additional diplomatic post for a middle ranking officer from the Department of Commerce. An additional post will be created at the SLHC in New Delhi to exclusively deal with Sri Lanka's bilateral economic, investment and trade relations with India.

Minister Rambukwella pointed out that approval has also been granted to open the Consulate General in Kolkata with the staff strength of Consular General, a personal assistant, a Sri Lanka Foreign Service officer, an attache and public management assistant and with Consular jurisdiction over the States of West Bengal, Orissa, Jarkhand, Bihar and North Eastern states. Consel for Sri Lanka are to be appointed in Hyderebad, Lucknow and Thiruvanandapuram.