Sri Lankan President greets Queen, meets British PM

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is currently in London with First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa to attend the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II, has met the Queen at a lunch hosted by the Commonwealth heads of state in honor of the Queen on Wednesday at the Blenheim Saloon inside Marlborough House in central London.

The Queen has greeted the President and the First Lady and exchanged pleasantries.

President Rajapaksa also met the British Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday during a reception hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma.

The President has apprised the British Prime Minister of the current situation in Sri Lanka and the progress made in the development of former conflict areas.

Following the reception, the President and the First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa have left for the Vatican, the government media said.

During his stay in Rome, President will participate in Vesak celebrations organized by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Rome at the FAO headquarters.