Conveys felicitations of President Rajapaksa to Hillary Clinton
Minister of Export Development and International Trade, Prof. G. L. Peiris, who is in Hong Kong conveyed to former President Bill Clinton the warm felicitations of President Rajapaksa on the nomination of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as United States Secretary of State.
Former President Clinton, receiving Professor Peiris, shared reminiscences about their time at Oxford University, and observed that he treasured a photograph of Rhodes Scholars from all over the world, taken outside Rhodes House soon after the arrival of President Clinton and Prof. Peiris at Oxford.
Clinton recalled with pleasure his visit to Sri Lanka and his work in connection with tsunami, as Special Envoy of the United Nations, a statement from the Ministry of Export Development and International Trade said.
At a working session addressing issues relating to overcoming disparity and deprivation in education, Minister Peiris described to world leaders attending the Clinton Global Initiative session, Sri Lanka’s achievements in the field of education, with particular reference to affirmative action programmes which have facilitated access to education for disadvantaged sections of the community, and comprehensive measures of support for students throughout their educational career.
On the sidelines of the conference, Prof. Peiris met with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Philippines who had invited him recently to address the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry, attended by apex Chambers of 30 countries, in Manila.
Prof. Peiris briefed Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Co-Chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament and former Foreign Minister of Japan, about current political and economic developments in Sri Lanka.
Madam Kawaguchi, during whose tenure of office as Foreign Minister of the Government of Japan appointed Yasushi Akashi as Japan’s special envoy in respect of Sri Lanka’s peace process. She was briefed by the Minister about the holding of elections in the Eastern Province and the revival of economic activity directed towards restoration of livelihoods in such fields as agriculture, fisheries, tourism and small and medium scale industry.
Courtesy : Daily Mirror