2.6.2008
Sri
Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived at the Da Vinci
Airport, Italy a short while ago (6.00 am Italian Time).
He was met and received at the Airport by Sri Lanka’s
Ambassador to Italy, Hemantha Warnakulasuriya and by officials
of the Italian Government.
The
President is on a short visit to attend an FAO conference
on world food security focusing on the challenges of climate
change and bioenergy in Rome from June 3-5, 2008 upon
the invitation of UN Secretary Genera, Ban Ki-Moon.
He is scheduled to address the assembly's first session.
. The inaugural statements are due to be delivered by
the President of Italy, the UN Secretary General, and
the Director-General of the FAO and the Secretariat of
State of the Holy See on behalf of his Holiness Pope Benedict
XVI.
The
President is accompanied by Minister of Agriculture Development,
Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Livestock Development,
C.B. Ratnayake as well as a special delegation of officials
from the Foreign Ministry.
During
the conference, the participants are expected to deliberate
on substantive items of the draft declaration on the issues
at hand including high food prices, climate change and
food security, Tran-boundary pests and diseases, bioenergy
and food security.
Courtesy - Asian
Tribune
