RIYADH, 24 April 2007 — Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, who began a three-day visit to the Kingdom yesterday, expressed the hope that ties between the two countries would touch new heights in the years to come.
“I am very happy to visit this country which is a holy land for Muslims from all parts of the world,” Bogollagama told Arab News. He said Saudi Arabia is the first country he is visiting in the Middle East as foreign minister.
Bogollagama visited the shelter at the Sri Lankan mission for stranded housemaids. More than 150 maids were housed in this villa, which is being run by the mission in cooperation with the Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
“I chose the Kingdom as my first destination in the Middle East tour because it is one of the regional powers and has been a close friend of Sri Lanka since time immemorial,” the minister said.
He added that Saudi Arabia is also important since it is home to the largest number of Sri Lankan overseas workers in this part of the world.
“These workers bring in substantial foreign exchange to our national coffers and their remittances are the second largest source of foreign exchange of the country,” said the minister.
Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Nizar Obeid Madani, Saudi Ambassador to Colombo Mohamed Mahmud Al-Ali, Sri Lankan Ambassador A.M.J. Sadiq and senior officials from the Royal Protocol Department received the minister on his arrival here.
Al-Ali said that the visit would boost friendly relations between the two countries. “The Saudi Embassy in Colombo, with the Sri Lankan mission in Riyadh, has chalked out a comprehensive program for the minister’s visit,” he said.
The minister is slated to meet Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf and Riyadh Governor Prince Salman today.
He met with Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority Gov. Amr Abdullah Al-Dabbagh yesterday and discussed investment opportunities in his country.
Bogollagama also visited the Sri Lankan International School yesterday. The Sri Lankan Expatriates Society (SLES) in Riyadh hosted a tea party in honor of Bogollagama and the group’s president, Vikum Rajapakse, presented a memento to the visiting minister.
