G.L briefs the Philippines

External? Affairs? Minister? Professor? G.L. Peiris has briefed the Philippines on the recent? political? and? economic? developments? in? the? country,? with? particular? reference? to? the governments accomplishments? in? respect? of? responding? effectively? to? the? needs? of? those? who? had? been? displaced? by? the? thirty? year? conflict,? and? the? re-integration? into? society? of? ex-combatants, the External Affairs Ministry said today.
The Minister briefed Albert? del? Rosario,? Secretary? of? State? for? Foreign? Affairs? on the? arrangements? being? made? for? the? upcoming? elections? to? the? Provincial? Council? of? the? Northern? Province.? The? Minister? also? described? the? government?s? plans? for? the? major? business? event? to? be? held? on? the? sidelines? of? the? Commonwealth? Heads? of? Government? Meeting? in? November,?? and? expressed? his? warm? appreciation? of? the? vigorous? interest? shown? by? the? Philippine? Chamber? of? Commerce? and? Industry?? in? attending? this? event.
Professor? Peiris? also expressed? to? his? counterpart? Sri? Lanka?s? appreciation? of? the? support? consistently? extended? by? the? Philippines? to? his? country? at? the? international? level.
The? Foreign? Ministers? of? Sri? Lanka? and? the? Philippines? agreed? to? move? rapidly? with? regard? to? the? signing? of? a? series? of? bilateral? agreements? which? would? form? the? basis? of? the? intensified? economic? relationship? between? the? two? countries? in? the? new? situation,? with? the? overcoming? of? recent? challenges.? Agreements? in? respect? of? regular? political? consultations,? co-operation? in? the? fields? of? agriculture? and? labour,? and? greater? flexibility? with? regard? to? visa? requirements? were? identified? as? the? appropriate? building? blocks? for? consolidating? the? enhanced? relationship.? The? construction? sector? and? renewable? energy? were? also? identified? as? priority? areas? for? collaboration. ?(Colombo Gazette)