Sri Lankan President visits Nepal

Kathmandu, Mar 2 (ANI): Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today arrived on a three-day state visit to Nepal at the invitation of Nepali President Dr Ram Baran Yadav. ccording to Nepalnews, President Rajapaksa arrived here with his wife Shiranthi Rajapaksa and other high-level Sri Lankan delegates.

Dr Yadav will host banquet at his office in honor of the Sri Lankan President later today.

He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Prachanda and discussed bilateral talks on issues related to trade, investment, tourism, agriculture, aviation and other feasible areas where the two countries can cooperate with each other.

Rajapaksa will also visit Buddhist Shrines in Lumbini and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Secretariat in Thamel.

According to Nepal tourism entrepreneurs, revival of air service between Kathmandu and Colombo will significantly boost Nepal's tourism industry.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened in Kathmandu in view of the ongoing insurgency in Sri Lanka steered by the separatist armed outfit, LTTE. Some 1500 security personnel including Nepal Police, Armed Police and Nepal Army have been deployed at various places in Kathmandu.

Rajapaksa, current Chair of the SAARC, is the first head of state to visit Nepal after the country was declared a federal democratic republic in May 2008. (ANI)