Putin congratulates President

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been congratulated by Russia's President Vladimir Putin on the former's assumption of the Commonwealth Chair in Office. The Russian President also reiterated his government's desire to continue the strong bilateral relations with Colombo, a sentiment that his Sri Lankan counterpart reciprocated.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013 concluded last Sunday. As the Head of Government of the host nation, President Rajapaksa assumes the Chair in Office of the Commonwealth for the next two years.

The next CHOGM will take place in Malta in 2015.