President Rajapaksa conferred with the ‘Star of Palestine’

Tuesday, 7 January 2014 00:45 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Government of Palestine yesterday conferred President Mahinda Rajapaksa with the ‘Star of Palestine’ – the highest award of the State of Palestine.

“The relations between Sri Lanka and the State of Palestine are exceptional and we remain committed to extending our fullest support to the State of Palestine and the friendly people of Palestine,” President Rajapaksa said during the conferment ceremony. President Rajapaksa, on behalf of the people of Sri Lanka, conferred the ‘Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ awards on former Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and current President Mahmoud Abbas. The President, First Lady Shiranthi Wickremasinghe Rajapaksa and a Sri Lankan delegation are currently visiting the Middle East engaging in State visits to Jordan, Palestine and Israel. Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Monitoring MP of the Ministry of External Affairs Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, Parliamentarians Kamala Ranatunga and Roshan Ranasinghe, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Jordan Gamini Rajapakse comprise the Sri Lankan delegation.