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Statement to Media by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera after official talks with Norway Foreign Minister Børge Brende

Statement to the Media by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs

after the Official Talks with Hon. Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 7 January 2016

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen,

It has been an honour and a privilege to welcome the Norwegian Foreign Minister the Hon. Børge Brende to Sri Lanka, this morning. An official visit by a Norwegian Foreign Minister takes place after nearly 11 years. I hope that the very productive meeting we have just concluded will set the tone for this new chapter in our relations.

Visit of Hon. Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Børge Brende, will undertake a one-day official visit to Sri Lanka on 7 January 2016, at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera.

Official Visit of His Excellency Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan to Sri Lanka

At the invitation of H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, His Excellency Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, will undertake an official visit to Sri Lanka from 4 to 6 January 2016.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Madam Begum Kalsoom Sharif will be welcomed on their arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. On 5th January 2016, the official welcome ceremony presided by President Maithripala Sirisena will be held at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. The visiting Prime Minister will be accorded a ceremonial welcome including a Gun Salute and Guard of honour.

Introduction by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera to Speech by Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon Jr. Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute

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Introduction by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera

to Speech by Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon Jr.

Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute

16 December 2015

Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon Jr.,

Under-Secretary-of-State nominee for Political Affairs

Excellencies,

Executive Director and Members of the Board of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies & Gentlemen,

I have the honour, as Chairman of the Board of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies, to introduce a very special person who is in our midst here today, our guest speaker, Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon Jr.

Remarks to Media by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs following talks with Ambassador Thomas Shannon, US Under Secretary of State (designate)

Remarks to Media by

Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs

following talks with Ambassador Thomas Shannon, US Under Secretary of State (designate)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14th December 2015

Good evening ladies and gentlemen.

It has been an honour and a privilege to welcome Ambassador Thomas Shannon, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs- designate, to Sri Lanka, this evening.

Remarks to Media by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs on Human Rights Day

Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs on Human Rights Day

Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 10th December 2015.

Ladies & Gentleman,

Today is Human Rights Day, as you know. And as in the past, Sri Lanka will join the countries of the world in commemorating this important event. But this year, Sri Lanka’s commemorations will not only be symbolic – it will also be substantive. So I am very pleased to announce that Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will today, this morning in New York, in fact, will be signing the International Convention on Enforced Disappearances.

Foreign Minister Samaraweera signs agreement for creation of Commonwealth Trade Finance Fund for Small States

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Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera together with the Foreign Ministers of India, Malta and Mauritius signed a Declaration of Intent for the creation of a Commonwealth Trade Finance Facility to assist boost trade and investment flows, particularly for small and developing countries in Malta on 26^th November 2015.

Visit of Russian Delegation of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly - 30th November – 2nd December

A five-member delegation led by Mr. Ilyas Mahomed-Salomovich Umakhanov, Vice Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly visited Sri Lanka from 30^th November to 2^nd December 2015.

Common values are important and not the power of wealth – President Sirisena tells Commonwealth

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President Maithripala Sirisena said he is fully satisfied with the accomplishment of goals set at the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo and during the period of the last two years, when Sri Lanka was the Chair in Office of the Commonwealth.