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President, Japan FM hold talks on LRT, East Terminal, Central Highway & BIA expansion (Pics)

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Visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi has paid a courtesy call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo a short while ago.

During the meeting, the two dignitaries engaged in discussions concerning the bilateral relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka, with a mutual commitment to further strengthen their traditionally robust ties.

President Wickremesinghe expressed his gratitude to the Japanese Government for its support in the debt restructuring process and shared details of French President Emmanuel Macron’s offer, aiming to play a pivotal role in enhancing the common platform for debt restructuring and expediting the process.

Another significant aspect of their talks revolved around key areas of cooperation, namely the Light Rail Transit (LRT), the East Terminal, the Kandy Development Plan, Central Highway, and the expansion of the Bandaranaike International Airport.

Both parties expressed the importance of expediting the implementation of these projects.

Additionally, they delved into bilateral, regional, and global issues, emphasizing their shared commitment to maintaining the region as a peaceful and stable area.

President Wickremesinghe also highlighted the investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s high-tech industries, envisioning a transformation from a labour market-oriented economy to one that caters to cutting-edge technological advancements.

This strategic move is expected to present significant prospects for Japanese investors.

The high-level meeting took place in Colombo this morning.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi arrived in Sri Lanka on a two-day official visit last night.

The Japanese Foreign Minister was received by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

During his stay, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will also hold discussions with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi is being accompanied by Senior Foreign Policy Coordinator MURAKAMI Manabu, Director General Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs ARIMA Yutaka, Director General International Cooperation ENDO Kazuya, Deputy Press Secretary OKANO Yukiko from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan and a 22 – member delegation consisting of officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The delegation will discuss the on-going debt restructuring process and also development projects which were discussed during Ranil President Wickremesinghe’s visit to Japan in May.

The delegation will also visit one of the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) sites in Sri Lanka.

This is also the first ministerial visit to Colombo from a Japanese delegation since 2019.

(NewsRadio)

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No withdrawal of security at religious places – MoD

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The Ministry of Defence states that the reports claiming the removal of security provided by the Tri-Forces and the Civil Defence Force at religious places in the country are untrue.

This was communicated by the media spokesman of the Ministry of Defence during a special press conference held this afternoon (03).

Speaking during the press conference, the media spokesman of Sri Lanka Army Major General Rasika Kumara stated that the government has not reached any decision to reduce the number of security personnel deployed at the religious places as of yet.

Furthermore, he assured that removing of tri-forces personnel from religious places is carried out only if it is confirmed that the number of security personnel required for a concerned location is less than the deployed amount, during security analysis conducted on a regular basis by the Army Headquarters.

(AdaDerana)
(This story, originally published by AdaDerana has not been edited by SLM staff)

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If this continues, country will end up like the KDU bus – RW

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Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterated that people with political experience should be appointed as parliamentary representatives in the upcoming General Election.

Joining a press conference held in Colombo, Wickremesinghe further stated that if not, the country will go into another crisis situation.

Responding to a question, the former President also spoke on not seeking to enter the parliament in the coming election.

“Now it is enough that I was in the Parliament. I believe we need to form a new group from within our alliance representing the ‘Gas Cylinder’ because these are the only experienced people in the country.”

Today, the government lacks experienced individuals, he claimed. “These people have been working consistently for the past three or four years, helped me turn this around in two years.”

He further added, “Sri Lanka could be the fastest country to emerge from bankruptcy, but the path forward is uncertain. Without capable leadership, the situation could spiral—just like the KDU bus veered off the road. That’s why I urge everyone to send knowledgeable and experienced individuals to Parliament.”

(adaderana.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Distribution of polling cards for Gen. election continues today

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The Department of Posts has designated today as a special day for distributing polling cards for the upcoming 2024 general election. 

Senior Deputy Postmaster General Rajitha Ranasinghe announced that 2,090 distribution offices will be open, with 8,000 staff assigned to the task.

Polling cards will be distributed from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and the public is urged to cooperate throughout the process.

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