UN chief, Lankan PM hold close-door discussions

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, who is on a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka, met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during which the duo held close-door discussions.

The Prime Minister, prior to his departure to Singapore later in the day, met with the visiting UN chief for close-door discussions, officials said yesterday.

Following the meeting, Wickremesinghe in a statement on his official Facebook page said "discussing the objectives which should be realized by both parties through his official state visit took precedence."

"It is my view that this state visit will provide the courage and strength to implement the development programmes which are currently being formulated by the Government," he added.

The UN chief is expected to meet Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena today, reports Lanka Page.

During his visit, Ban Ki Moon will also meet Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan along with several other political leaders and civil society representatives.

On Friday, he will travel to Jaffna, where he will meet the Governor of the Northern Province Reginald Cooray and visit a resettlement site.

He will deliver a keynote speech at a public event on the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 16, dedicated to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.

This is his first visit to the country in seven years. He last visited the island nation in May 2009, just after the end of the war.

The UN chief is expected to leave Lanka late night on September 2 for China to participate in the G20 Summit.