US Assistant Secretary Robert O. Blake, Jr. in Colombo
Colombo, 21 July, (Asiantribune.com):
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake, Jr. arrived in Colombo, today.
He met with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a breakfast meeting at the President's House. President Rajapaksa and Blake exchanged views on bilateral relations during the breakfast meeting. Minister of External Affairs Prof G L Peiris, Secretary to the President, Lalith Weerathunga and Treasury Secretary Dr P B Jayasundara also took part in the discussions.
The two sides examined ways and means of further strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and the United States and identified several areas for the expansion of bilateral cooperation.
The US Assistant Secretary offered to increase training facilities for Sri Lankan officials and others in the United States.
Blake is scheduled to hold further discussions with Minister of External Affairs, Prof Peiris and other officials during his visit.
In Sri Lanka, Assistant Secretary Blake will have consultations with the Sri Lankan government, political parties, business leaders and civil society.
Recently Robert Blake said in an interview with Rediff that the US welcomes the steps taken by the Sri Lankan government in appointing a Reconciliation Commission.
He will be visiting Male, Maldives tomorrow. This is his first visit to the Maldives as Assistant Secretary.
In the Maldives, Assistant Secretary Blake is expected to meet government officials, opposition parties, civil society representatives, anti-trafficking activists, and religious leaders.
- Asian Tribune –
Comments
Deliberate Photo Distortion?
I agree with Fran Diaz that the photo here is a distortion. If one compares it with the Home page photo of this same shot, the distortion is clear. The Prez looks quite his normal self in that photo!
The image here of President
The image here of President Rajapakse is somewhat unnatural - a camera anomaly, as perhaps the President moved as the picture was being taken.
Someone should urgently
Someone should urgently advise Prez Rajapakse that he is putting on far too much weight. If he does not watch it, he could be felled by a heart attack. Just look and the waist-line and compare it to the time when he became President.
Prez MR's waist-line
Vanakkam Aiya,
Before becoming the EP, Prez MR had a tough time; travelling, Jana Gosha, Pada yathra etc. etc. Now he is seated most of the time listening to the woes of others who are supposed to think and conceptualize but not able to do so due to drain in brains. They do not have the brains even to understand what Mahinda Chinthanaya says in simple language. Prez MR is compelled to have snacks or meals with every delegation of brain drained politicians.
You can take the first step by gifting Prez MR an AB Shaper.