Myanmar leader Senior-General Than Shwe and his wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing will pay an official visit to Sri Lanka in the near future.
This official announcement without giving the specific date was revealed in the New Light of Myanmar, the official organ of the Myanmar’s ruling junta.
It is believed Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, will pay the visit near this weekend and the trip will last for three days.
According to Sri Lankan sources Senior General and his wife are expected to visit and pray at the holiest Buddhist shrine, the Dalada Malaigawa, the Temple of the tooth relic of Lord Buddha in the Central Sri Lankan city of Kandy.
Than Shwe's Colombo visit is a said to be a reciprocal one to Myanmar by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in June this year. Both visits mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Myanmar and Sri Lanka
During his June visit, Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa met with Than Shwe and had talks with Prime Minister General Thein Sein on promotion of cooperation between the two countries' bilateral ties, religious affairs, trade, economy, education, agriculture, forestry, hotels and tourism and transport as well as regional cooperation and mutual cooperation in international arena.
When President Rajapaksa visited Myanmar agreement on mutual exemption of visas for diplomatic passport and service passport holders of the two countries and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in tourism were signed.
The Sri Lankan president also visited Yangon and inaugurated the Mitta Village in cyclone-hit Kungyangon Township, built with the help of Sri Lanka.
Myanmar and Sri Lanka, which established diplomatic relations on June 7, 1949, have enjoyed cultural and religious ties since the 11th century.
Both Myanmar and Sri Lanka are members of the sub-regional grouping of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) which also comprises Bangladesh, India and Thailand.
- Asian Tribune -
Nay Pyi Taw, 09 November, (Asiantribune.com):
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