Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa this morning held fruitful talks with his Iranian counterpart President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in New York (at 4.00 am Sri Lanka time). Presidential sources said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the side line of the UN summit met Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at his suite in New York and held bilateral talks this morning.
President had also held bilateral talks with Emir of Qatar and called on Chancellor of Germany soon after he arrived in New York. President is scheduled to address the UNGA summit on its inaugural day tomorrow. Sri Lanka and Iran maintain cordial bilateral relations and Iran at present supplies crude oil to Sri Lanka to meet 80 % of its needs on an interest free credit basis for a period of four months. Presidential sources said that talks between the two leaders were held in a very cordial and friendly atmosphere and Sri Lankan President expressed his gratitude to Iranian President and the people of Islamic Republic of Iran for their continuous support to Sri Lanka and its people.
Iranian President during his recent visit to Sri Lanka entered into several Memoranda of Understandings to provide financial assistance to several development projects in Sri Lanka including the Uma Oya project. The facilities at Sapugaskanda Oil refinery is to be augmented with Iranian technical and financial assistance.