Indonesian President here to boost bilateral ties

Thursday, 25 January 2018 01:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Maithripala Sirisena welcomes Indonesian President Joko Widodo

- Pic by Reuters

Indonesian President Joko Widodo arrived in yesterday, on an official two-day state visit on an invitation.

Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana welcomed the Indonesian President at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake and was accorded a ceremonial welcome with guard of honor and twenty-one-gun salute at the Presidential Secretariat. Following the official welcome, the leaders of Indonesia and Sri Lanka held official bilateral discussions on a wide range of issues of mutual interest.

Several MoUs are to be inked between the two countries during President Widodo’s visit.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will also have discussions on economic, trade and investment cooperation with President Widodo at a breakfast meeting on 25th January.

Sri Lanka and Indonesia established diplomatic relations 65 years ago, and have been maintaining cordial bilateral relations since then. In 2016, President Maithripala Sirisena undertook a State visit to Indonesia.

The Indonesia President is visiting the island nation as part of a diplomatic tour of five-member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), in a bid to strengthen Indonesia’s strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific region.

During the series of state visits from Jan. 24 to 29 he is to meet his counterparts in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.