| DATE: 2007-11-03 | MALE, November 3, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, MRohitha Bogollagama, called on President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Thursday.
The President expressed his pleasure on meeting Bogollagama again. Recalling the historical State Visit to the Maldives by the President of Sri Lanka, Mahindha Rajapaksa in February, the President highlighted that cooperation between the two countries had strengthened as a result of Rajapaksa’s visit. He emphasised that, as neighbours and partners in SAARC, the Maldives and Sri Lanka enjoyed historic close friendly relations.
Highlighting that Bogollagama was visiting the Maldives to officially hand-over the library to the government of Maldives, the President said that the library would be yet another lasting reminder of the close friendship between the two countries. The President thanked the government and people of Sri Lanka for gifting a central library for the Maldives College of Higher Education.
He also noted the important contribution of Sri Lanka in various fields of national development of Maldives, and singled out Sri Lanka’s role in the development of the country’s education sector. He also thanked for the continued support and assistance that it extends to the Maldives in every hour of national need and in various important issue areas.
Bogollagama conveyed to the President the warm greeting and good wishes of Rajapaksa.
Bogollagama highlighted that the Maldives and Sri Lanka enjoyed excellent relations, and noted that the new library was a symbol of the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries. Further, he assured the President of Sri Lanka’s continued commitment to contribute towards national development endeavours in the Maldives.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid, Minister for Presidential Affairs, Mohamed Hussain, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Farooq, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Dr. Hala Hameed and the Director General of the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka, Grace Asir Watham.
Following the meeting, the President participated in the ceremony to hand-over the central library to the Maldivian Government. The library was inaugurated by Bogollogama.
The wife of the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Deepthi Bogollagama, also called on First Lady Nasreena Ibrahim on Thursday. The call was held at the Presidential Palace. The call was attended by Hala.
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