Cuban President Receives Counterpart from Sri Lanka

Havana, June 17. – President Raúl Castro received his counterpart from Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday, and they discussed the current state of bilateral relations and review issues of regional and international interest, according to a press release.

Also attending the meeting were First Cuban Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

Previously, Rajapaksa laid a wreath at the monument of Jose Marti in the Revolution Square, on the second day of his visit to Cuba, when the visiting official and his entourage knew details about the life and work of the Cuban hero.

The visit of the Sri Lankan head of State, on June 15-19, also includes visits to places of scientific and socio-economic interest.

Rajapaksa is scheduled to travel next Wednesday to Brazil to attend the UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20.

Colombo and Havana established diplomatic relations in July, 1959. The two countries cooperate in education, health, culture and sports.

There are currently some 41 Sri Lankan youngsters doing university studies in Cuba. Another 70 Sri Lankans have already graduated from Cuban universities.

Sri Lanka has maintained a stand of rejection of the US economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on Cuba for over fifty years.(Prensa Latina)