Sri Lankan President arrives in Cuba on a state visit

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is on a three-day state visit to Cuba, arrived at the José Marti International Airport in Havana Friday (15). Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ana Teresita Gonzalez Fraga welcomed the President at the airport.

The President will meet his Cuban counterpart President Raul Castro Sunday and hold discussions to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two countries and offer appreciation for Cuba's support to Sri Lanka in the international fora.

During President's visit the two countries are expected to exchange views on health, sport and technology.

The President is scheduled to tour the Laboratorios Biologicos Farmaceuticos in Havana which has developed a highly effective product towards fighting the dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti.

According to the Presidential Media Unit, President Rajapaksa is also scheduled to visit several economic development projects in Cuba and a biotechnology center to explore the possibility of using biotechnology for the development of Sri Lanka's agricultural sector.

During the visit, the President will meet with relatives of the five Cuban anti-terrorists imprisoned in the US for nearly 14 years for monitoring terrorist anti-Cuban groups operating from south Florida. He will visit the Old Havana Historic Centre, the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Following the Cuban visit President Rajapaksa is scheduled to attend the Rio+20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil.

Ministers Wimal Weerawnsa, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Mahinda Amaraweera, Deputy Minister Nirupama Rajapaksa and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga accompanied the President.