Sri Lankan President meets Pope Benedict

Sri Lankan leader President Mahinda Rajapaksa accompanied by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa met with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican Friday. The meeting took place in the Papal Library, the Government Media Unit said
.President Rajapaksa is currently in Rome following his visit to London to attend the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II.


Participating in a programme of the state run radio SLBC, Sri Lanka's Archbishop, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has said that the meeting between the President and the Pope aims at apprising the Pope of the current situation of Sri Lanka and receive blessings.
"The meeting will lead to develop the mutual understanding between the two parties," the Archbishop has said.
Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN Tamara Kunanayakam, Governor of Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Deputy External Affairs Minister Neomal Perera were also present at the occasion.
(Photos by Sudath Silva)