GL on official visits to Slovenia, Austria and Germany

External Affairs Minister Professor G L Peiris left the country over the weekend on official visits to Slovenia, Austria and Germany at the invitation of the Foreign Ministers of these countries.

In Ljubljana, he will have bilateral talks with Republic of Slovenia Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec. Dignitaries with whom Professor Peiris will have discussions in Slovenia include National Assembly of Slovenia President Janko Veber, Constitutional Court of Slovenia President and International Law Commission member Dr Ernest Patric and International Centre for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE) Director General Janez Podobnik. ICPE is an inter-governmental organisation located in Ljubljana.

Minister Peiris will address Slovenia’s Chamber of Economy and Trade.

He will also speak on ‘The Evolving Political and Economic Landscape in Sri Lanka’ at the Slovenian Association for International Relations.

In Vienna, Prof Peiris will have bilateral consultations with Austria’s European and International Affairs Minister Dr Michael Spindelegger, with whom Prof Peiris last interacted on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York three years ago.

During his official visit to Austria, the minister will have discussions with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Rhienhold Lopatka, Austrian National Council Second President Neugebauer, United Nations Office in Vienna Director General Yuri Fedatov and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization Executive Secretary-elect Lassina Zerbo.

Prof Peiris will address the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna on ‘The Place of Sri Lanka in Europe’s Outreach to Asia’.

Czech Republic Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Tomas Dub will have discussions with Minister Peiris in Vienna.

In Berlin, Prof Peiris will have bilateral consultations with Federal Republic of Germany Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Guido Westerwelle.

He will meet with Dr Wolfgang Thierse, Vice President of the Bundestag (the Lower House of Parliament), the Foreign Policy Committee and the Committee for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Bundestag and several leading members of the German Parliament.

Prof Peiris will address the German Council for Foreign Policy (DGAP) and have discussions with its Vice- President Paul Von Maltzahn.