Myanmar President Senior General Than Shwe to visit Sri Lanka from 12 – 15 November

The Head of State of Myanmar, Senior General Than Shwe and nd his wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing will be in Sri Lanka from 12 -15 November, on a State Visit.

The head of Myanmar is visiting Sri Lanka after a lapse of 43 years since 1963. Myanmar Prime Minister Unu was the last Head of State to visit Sri Lank. However, there has been frequent visits were made by Myanmar Acting Prime Minister and Ministers occasionally.

Earlier in June The President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa made a State Visit to Myanmar at the invitation of the Head of State of Myanmar to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

While the Sri Lankan President was in Myanmar he extended an official invitation to Senior General Than Shwe to visit Sri Lanka and the invitation was accepted by the Myanmar President.

The visit symbolizes the goodwill and unbroken friendly relations between the two countries. The most significant purpose of this visit for the President of Myanmar and his delegation is to pay homage to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy. He will offer a Buddha Pooja and an arms giving for 50 monks both from Malwatte and Asigiri Chapters on the 13th November 2009.

During the visit, an MoU is expected to be signed by the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and Shwedagon Temple of Myanmar.

Dr. Hema Goonetilleke will present to both the Heads of State the first copies of her publication titled “Revisiting of Myanmar – Sri Lanka historical links”.

Visiting President will be accorded a State welcome at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on 12th November 2009. The visiting delegation thereafter will proceed to Kandy. The following day, the Myanmar Leader and his delegation will leave for Anuradhapura. In Anuradhapura, they will pay homage to Ruwanweliseya and Sri Maha Bodhi and return to Colombo on the same day.

On the last day of their visit, the Myanmar Leader and his delegation enroute to the Airport will visit the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya where a special ceremony will be held.

-Asian Tribune -