President Rajapaksa concludes his tour of the Maldives after receive a very warm welcome and holding a series of productive talks. He left for a state visit to the Seychelles from Male.
President Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Wickremasinghe Rajapaksa, who arrived in Ibrahim Nasir International Airport on Thursday, were warmly received by the Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and the Maldivian First Lady. President Rajapaksa and the First Lady arrived in a boat parade from the airport to the main jetty in the capital Malé and were accorded a red carpet welcome.
President Rajapaksa was accorded a 21-gun salute by the National Defense Force of Maldives. Maldivian officials said President Rajapaksa is the only foreign leader after the Queen Elizabeth to receive such a grand welcome in the Maldives.
Presidents of Sri Lanka and Maldives held a one-to-one meeting on the same day of arrival, followed by official bilateral discussions between the delegations of both countries. The Presidential International Media Unit said that during the discussion, a number of matters of mutual interest were discussed and several agreements reached. Three agreements were signed in the presence of the two Presidents.
President Rajapaksa also met the former President of Maldives, the Maldivian Defence Minister as well as the Foreign Minister and had discussions.
Ending a successful visit to the Maldives, the President left Male for the Seychelles this morning. During his stay in Seychelles, the President will hold bilateral discussions with Seychelles President James Michel and is also scheduled to open the Sri Lankan Embassy in Victoria, the capital of Seychelles.
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