Monthly Archives: January 2014

The friendly meeting with newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic India
29 January, 2014

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation His Excellency Udayanga Weeratunga hosted His Excellency P.S. Raghavan, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Russian Federation on 29 January 2014. The friendly meeting took place at the residence of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka and Ambassador Raghavan and Ambassador Weeratunga shared pleasantries on the past carriers and the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Ambassador Weeratunga said that the Embassy of India in Russia always had very close relations with the Embassy of Sri Lanka and further that he is certain that the relations will continue to grow.
His Excellency P.S. Rahgavan said that he is looking forward to work in cooperation with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation. Ambassador P.S. Raghavan presented his credentials as Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation, to the President of the Russian Federation H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin, on January 16, 2014. Born in 1955, Ambassador Raghavan took a BSc. (Honors) degree in Physics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University in 1975 and a B.E. degree in Electronics & Communications Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 1978. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1979.
Between 1979 and 1994, he held a number of diplomatic positions in the Indian Missions in Moscow [then USSR], Warsaw [Poland] and London [United Kingdom], interspersed with tenures in the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India. In 1994, he was appointed Consul General of India in Vietnam and in 1997, Deputy High Commissioner of India to South Africa in Pretoria.
From 2000 to 2004, Ambassador Raghavan was Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi, dealing with Foreign Affairs, Atomic Energy, Space, Defense and National Security. He was Ambassador of India to the Czech Republic (2004 – 2007) and Ambassador of India to Ireland (2007 – 2011). In January 2012, he was appointed to head the newly-created Development Partnership Administration in the Ministry of External Affairs, which is charged with the task of ensuring the efficient implementation of India’s economic partnership programs in developing countries.

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Ambassador Weeratunga hosts Mr. Konstantin Dolgov for a Working dinner
29 January, 2014
Ambassador of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation H.E. Udayanga Weeratunga and Madam Uma Weeratunga hosted Russian Foreign Ministry Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law Ambassador-at-large Mr. Konstantin Dolgov and Madam Natalia Dolgova to a working dinner on 29 January. The dinner took place at the Official Residence of Ambassador Weeratunga. During the dinner Ambassador Dolgov briefed Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga of his discussions with the senior government officials of Sri Lanka on the work already done by the Government of Sri Lanka with regard to reconciliation and development in the country after the end of the Humanitarian Operation by the Sri Lanka Armed Forces in 2009. The efforts of the government for the successful return of Internally Displaced Persons to their original places and the rehabilitation of former LTTE combatants were highly commended by Mr. Dolgov.
Ambassador Dolgov also shared the experiences of his brief visit to Sri Lanka. Noting that he has travelled to many countries, Mr. Dolgov compared the positive developments in Sri Lanka. Colombo in particular was appreciated for its cleanliness and well maintenance. He also noted the Sri Lankan hospitality which he enjoyed during his short visit.

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Sri Lanka signs MoU creating SCO Energy Club
24 January, 2014

H E Udayanga Weeratunga, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation signed on 24 January 2014 the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Memorandum of Understanding creating Energy Club, on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka. The Energy Club is an open multilateral platform for development and expansion of co-operation in energy area within and beyond the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a intergovernmental international organization creation of which was proclaimed on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai (China) by the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The main goals of the SCO are strengthening mutual confidence and good-neighborly relations among the member countries; promoting effective cooperation in politics, trade and economy, science and technology, culture as well as education, energy, transportation, tourism, environmental protection and other fields; making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region, moving towards the establishment of a new, democratic, just and rational political and economic international order. Sri Lanka is a dialogue partner of the SCO.
The Presidency of the Energy Club rotates between the members of the SCO and Republic of Kazakhstan is its President for the year 2014. Mr Talyad Aliev, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation was present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding

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Presentation of the English version of the 296-page Tourist Guide Book
08 January, 2014

Presentation the English version of the 296-page Tourist Guide Book, compiled by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation was launched by His Excellency Udayanga Weeratunga, ambassador of Sri Lanka in Russia, on Wednesday, January 8. The comprehensive publication was first published in Russia in 2012 for the use of Russian tour operators as well as for the numerous Road Shows undertaken by the embassy in the CIS region. It was used in a series of promotional campaigns to market Sri Lanka as the preferred tourism destination among Russians travelers last year. Close to 20,000 booklets were distributed during each road show conducted in Russia in 2013.
Launching the book, copies were handed over to Mr. Bhaswara Gunarathna, Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman; Mr. Rumy Jauffer, Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB); Sri Lanka Tourism Director General Dr. D. S. Jayaweera; Mr. Chandra Wicremasinghe, Board Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority; Mr. Jayantissa Kehelpannala, President, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), Mr. Mervyn Fernandopulle, SLTPB Board Member and several other industry stakeholders.
The book will soon be translated into Mandarin to be used in the industry’s effort to expand into China and open up the country for a larger number of Chinese tourists. A pdf version of the copy will also soon be available online on the Sri Lanka Tourism website.Commenting on their efforts to attract more Russian tourists to Sri Lanka, ambassador Udayanga said that over 60,000 Russians arrived in Sri Lanka last year and of them almost 99 per cent were tourists. “In 2005, the number was a mere 4,256,” he noted.
Thanking Mr. Bhaswara Gunarathna, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, he noted that years ago, around 2006, he had come up with a number of proposals to develop tourism in Sri Lanka by getting more travelers from Russia, Ukraine and CIS countries. However, the authorities at that time were lethargic and showed little interest. Even the minimum amount required for the program was not received. Had there been some support from the authorities here, a lot more Russian tourists would have arrived here, HE Udayanga Weeratunga said.

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Minister Appreciates the Tourism Catalogue English version of Guide Book
07 January, 2014
The Catalogue on Sri Lanka Tourism in the English language published by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Moscow, Russia was presented to the Minister of Economic Development Hon. Basil Rajapaksa at the Ministry of Economic Development by the Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga. The Minister expressed his appreciation for the endeavor taken by the Ambassador for promoting tourism in Russia and CIS countries which has increased in many folds during the last few years. He also mentioned that this catalogue will be a very effective tool in promoting Sri Lanka as a tourist destination.
This 300 page catalogue on Sri Lanka Tourism was composed by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation with the patronage of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa.
The Ambassador Further stated that publication of this catalogue would not have been possible unless for the support extended by Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and especially Mr. Bashwara Gunaratne, Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. The Embassy also compiled an informative catalogue in the Russian language to assist the Russian tour operators and travelers in 2012.

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