Commending Sri Lanka for going “out of its way” to accommodate countries that were unable to make advance visits ahead of the CHOGM 2013, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma stated that there is a “very positive feeling” about the summit being held in the island nation this year.

Sharma called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa in New York City on Wednesday (Sept. 25), on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly currently taking place in city.

Much of the conversation focused on the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013 to be held in Sri Lanka in November, the Presidential Spokesman said.  

“There is a very positive feeling about CHOGM and what we hope to achieve,” Mr. Sharma said. “Your theme of inclusiveness, equity and fair mindedness has very good resonance everywhere.”

The theme for this year’s conference is “Growth with Equity; Inclusive Development,” inspired by President Rajapaksa’s vision of bringing development to all segments of the population and to all parts of the country, a statement issued by the President’s Media Unit said.

“We have to deliver something practical or it will be just another meeting,” President Rajapaksa said.  

Mr. Sharma told the President that representatives of many countries who visited Sri Lanka as a part of the advance visits during the past couple of months were very satisfied with the planning underway in preparation for the summit.  

“Sri Lanka has gone out of its way to accommodate countries that couldn’t make it for the advance visits,” Mr. Sharma said.  

The delegation from the Commonwealth Secretariat that met President Rajapaksa consisted of the Director of the Office of the Commonwealth Secretary-General Mr. Simon Gimson, Director of Political Affairs Mr. Amitav Banerji, Director of Communications and Public Affairs Mr. Richard Uku and the Head of the Asia Division of Political Affairs Ms. Nishana Jayawickrama.

The Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Monitoring MP of the Ministry of External Affairs Mr. Sajin De Vass Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Mr. Lalith Weeratunga, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Mrs. Kshenuka Seneviratne and Director General of Europe and Americas of the Ministry of External Affairs Mrs. Himali Serasinghe were also present at the meeting.