Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Lebanon Shani Calyaneratne Karunaratne, paid a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Defense Minister of the Republic of Lebanon Zeina Akar on 03 August, 2021 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the discussion, Ambassador Karunaratne, thanked Lebanon for the prompt assistance given by the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Labour, the General Directorate of Civil Aviation and the General Security on facilitating the repatriation of Sri Lankan migrant workers by the five charter flights to Sri Lanka. Ambassador Karunaratne also discussed the concerns of Sri Lankan migrant workers in Lebanon and regularizing the visa over stayers in Lebanon.
The Ambassador also conveyed that, Sri Lanka hopes that all Lebanese political parties would resolve the ongoing political issues. They discussion also touched upon the formation of the new cabinet so that the pending agreements between Lebanon and Sri Lanka could be finalized.
The Ambassador Karunaratne recalled the Deputy Prime Minister Akar that Sri Lanka’s support for the Lebanese candidature in 2015 for UNESCO and requested reciprocal support for the candidature of Ambassador Mohan Peiris P.C for the International Law Commission (ILC) for the term 2023 -2027. The Deputy Prime Minister Akar agreed to process the request.
The Deputy Prime Minister Akar thanked the Sri Lankan government for donation of Ceylon Tea and food rations for the victims of the Beirut explosion and assured other mutual cooperation in fostering bilateral relations in a multitude of fields.
The Ambassador Karunaratne was accompanied by Counsellor (E & W) Srimal Kahathuduwa, Second Secretary (Labour) T.Luxmidharan.
Source – Embassy of Sri Lanka Beirut / 05 August, 2021