Sri Lanka, Oman to boost ties, expand trade

Saturday, 3 November 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka and Oman have held discussions to promote and expand the political and trade relations and to boost ties between the two countries further.

During his official visit to Sri Lanka, the Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs of Oman, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah met President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday at Temple Trees.

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and Secretary to the External Affairs Ministry Karunaratne Amunugama were present at the discussion on Thursday.

The Omani Minister also held a number of meetings with Sri Lankan ministers and other Government officials.

Alawi bin Abdullah met with his Sri Lankan counterpart Minister Peiris at the Ministry and signed a memorandum of understanding with Minister Peiris related to political talks between the Sultanate and Sri Lanka.

The two sides discussed ways of promoting the Omani-Sri Lankan relations in various aspects.

Among the matters the two Ministers discussed were trade relations, with particular reference to tea and oil, investment opportunities and exchange of trade delegations, the proposed opening of a Resident Mission of Oman in Colombo, employment opportunities for Sri Lankans in Oman, and cultural cooperation.

The Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs has also held separate meetings with Minister of Petroleum Industries Susil Premajayantha and Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa.