MR to receive 'Star of Palestine'

4 January 2014 01:23 am Views - 4884

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will leave for a state visit to Palestine tomorrow. He will be accompanied by External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris on this first-ever state visit by a Sri Lankan leader to Palestine which was granted non-member observer status at the United Nations General Assembly last year.

Palestine will confer President Rajapaksa with the ‘Star of Palestine’, its highest accolade in recognition of his solidarity with the Palestinian liberation struggle. A road has also been named after President Rajapaksa in Palestine Capital of Ramallah.

The state visit will be followed by a two-day visit to Jordon where the President will hold talks with Jordanian King Abdullah II.

The Palestinians voted for the first time at the UN General Assembly in November last year and claimed it was a new step in its quest for full recognition by the global body.
 During his visit, the President will hold talks with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas. President Rajapaksa has maintained close relations with Palatine and had also been the President of the Sri Lanka –Palestine Friendship Association from the time he was an MP in the 1970s. Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga will also join him on this visit. (Kelum Bandara)