The UK’s Minister for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field, will arrive in Sri Lanka on Friday to discuss reconciliation, trade and people-to-people links, the British High Commission in Colombo said.

During his visit on 5 – 6 October Mr Field will meet Minister of Foreign Affairs Tilak Marapana, Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, Minister of Public Administration & Management and Law & Order Ranjith Madduma Bandara, and Minister of Sports and Provincial Councils &Local Government Faiszer Musthapha.

He will also meet Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan, members of civil society and Commissioners of the Office on Missing Persons, the release said.

Minister Field is expected to discuss a range of issues, including the UK’s continued support for Sri Lanka achieving meaningful and lasting reconciliation in the interests of all Sri Lankans.

Celebrating the links between Sri Lanka and the UK in the area of business, he will visit the London Stock Exchange Group’s quickly growing Colombo operation, which employs several hundred Sri Lankan IT and finance experts.
 
Mr Field said: “My visit this year coincides with that of the England cricket team – a great celebration of our two countries shared love for the sport and everything that it represents. Sport is just one of the links between the people of the UK and Sri Lanka that we can all celebrate.

The UK is and always has been a close friend and supporter of Sri Lanka. During my visit I will be encouraging the government of Sri Lanka to fulfil the commitments it has made on reconciliation to the advantage of people in all Sri Lanka’s communities.”