Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse receives visiting Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed (left) in Colombo yesterday.
IANS/Colombo
Sri Lanka and the Maldives yesterday discussed the possibility of boosting ties between the two countries.
The discussion took place between visiting Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse at the President’s House in Colombo.
The two sides discussed the upcoming presidential elections in the Maldives and the political situation leading up to the polls.
Waheed is in Sri Lanka with a Maldivian delegation on a two-day official visit, the Maldivian President’s Office said.
Following the meeting, the two leaders visited Maldivian patients at a local hospital.
Discussions with officials from the hospital were held on providing internship opportunities to Maldivian medical students.
The Maldivian president arrived in Colombo on Friday on his second official visit to the neighbouring island nation.
In a previous interview with Maldivian newspaper Haveeru, Waheed said he would meet with Sri Lankan prime minister D M Jayaratne and hold bilateral talks, including the Maldives’ request to import construction gravel and easier visa arrangements.
“With Ramadan and presidential election coming up, I might not be able to visit Sri Lanka before the election. So it’s better to visit Sri Lanka now and sort out things I have to. I will also ensure the diplomats in Sri Lanka of a free and fair election,” he said. The Maldivian president, who is accompanied by first lady Ilham Hussain, is also expected to brief the diplomatic community in Colombo about the latest developments in the Maldives.