Lanka assures Maldives of continued support

Rasika SOMARATHNA

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris assured Sri Lanka’s continued support to the Maldives for its progress. The minister in Male on a four-day official visit, during bilateral talks with his Maldivian counterpart Dr Abdul Samad Abdullah, noted the exemplary relations between the two countries and said Sri Lanka assures continued assistance and cooperation to the Maldives, a statement from the Maldivian Foreign Ministry said.

Both foreign ministers had discussed ways of further strengthening the close historic ties of friendship and cooperation between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, it added.

Minister Samad had also thanked the Sri Lankan government for the contribution to the socio - economic advancement of the Maldives, especially through human resource development. Professor Peiris who is the first high ranking Sri Lankan official to visit Maldives since President Dr Mohammed Waheed Hassan assumed office in February, was also expected to meet the new President.

According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, the talks were also attended by the Foreign Affairs State Minister Hassan Saeed Hussain, Foreign Secretary Mohamed Naseer, MP Sajin De Vass Gunawardena, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Maldives Dickson Dela and senior official of the Sri Lankan delegation.