President Mahinda Rajapaksa has told Bolivian President Evo Morales on Monday that establishing relationships with new nations is a part of the Government’s policy.

President Rajapaksa, who travelled to Bolivia to attend the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 and China (G77 + China), during  bilateral talks with Bolivian President at the Presidential Palace in the city of La Paz, expressed his willingness to work closely with Sri Lanka.

President Rajapaksa said that his visit to Bolivia is a new beginning in diplomatic, economic and trade relations with South American nations, the President’s Office said.

President Morales inquired about Sri Lanka’s political, economic, industrial, export and import sectors and showed particular interest in Sri Lanka’s apparel sector. He asked President Rajapaksa whether Sri Lanka could assist Bolivia in developing its apparel sector and whether a team of experts could be sent to Bolivia for this purpose. President Rajapaksa readily agreed.

President Morales also inquired about the possibility of importing Sri Lankan cinnamon to Bolivia and expressed Bolivia’s interest in learning from Sri Lanka’s experiences in the hydropower sector.

President Morales also accepted President Rajapaksa’s invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

Briefing the Bolivian President of the progress Sri Lanka has achieved after the defeat of terrorism, President Rajapaksa said this progress is being disregarded and human rights are being used as a weapon to exert external pressure on the country. President Morales said Bolivia has also faced these types of problems in the past and continues to face such issues, the statement added.