(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – The Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal who are in Sri Lanka to attend the BIMSTEC Summit called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House in Colombo yesterday (30).
President Rajapaksa thanked the Ministers for attending the Fifth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit in Colombo.
The President’s Media Division said the Ministers commended the President for hosting the summit in a very high manner and appreciated the President’s address to the Summit.
The ministers pointed out the impact of the Covid epidemic on the economies of their countries.
Bhutanese Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji said that medical education in Sri Lanka was at a very high level and requested that more students be given the opportunity to study medicine in Sri Lanka.
The minister’s request to grant concessions to the annual visas granted for Bhutanese nationals to pursue education in the country drew President’s consideration.
Mr. Dorji noted that Bhutan is a country that is inclined towards organic farming pointed out its effectiveness to the President.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Dr. Narayan Khadka recalled 65 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Pointing out the importance of encouraging cultural exchange between Nepal and Sri Lanka as countries with common, cultural and religious heritage, Mr. Narayan added that Buddhist tourists could visit his country as it is opened now.
During the meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa commended the economic progress achieved by Bangladesh in recent years, the President’s Media Division said.
The Bangladesh Minister commended the contribution of more than 50,000 Sri Lankans employed in Bangladesh to his country’s economy.
Secretary to the President Gamini Senarath and Chief Adviser to the President Lalith Weeratunga were also present at the meeting.
