Sri Lanka and India should have greater parliamentary exchanges between the two countries, Speaker of India's Lok Sabha Meira Kumar has suggested to the Sri Lankan President
Sri Lanka and India should have greater parliamentary exchanges between the two countries, Speaker of India's Lok Sabha Meira Kumar has suggested to the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Thursday.
The Indian Speaker has stressed this when she met with the President at the Temple Trees yesterdat morning.
The two leaders have also discussed the political situation in Sri Lanka, the developmental activities being undertaken by the government, and enhancing bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, education and tourism, including establishing greater connectivity with the various States of India.
The Indian High Commission said in a release that the meeting was held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.
The Speaker conveyed her appreciation for the arrangements made by Sri Lankan officials for hosting the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and thanked for the warm hospitality accorded to the delegations.
She has appreciated the overwhelming public response the exposition of the Sacred Kapilavastu Relics received in Sri Lanka and the President has expressed his gratitude to India for giving 3.5 million Sri Lankans a chance to pay homage to the relics and agreeing to extend the period of exposition of the Kapilavastu Relics by a week.
Later the Indian Speaker has also met Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris and discussed issues relating to, constitutional procedures and best practices, strategies for inclusive development and youth empowerment.
Mrs. Kumar was accompanied by accompanied by Prof. P.J. Kurien, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Ashok K. Kantha, High Commissioner of India, and T.K. Viswanathan, Secretary General, Lok Sabha.
(CP)