French President & Japanese Foreign Minister in Sri Lanka on Friday (28)

COLOMBO (News 1st); French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will visit Sri Lanka on Friday (28), separately.

France and Japan are part of the three-country group including India, that announced a common platform for talks among bilateral creditors to coordinate restructuring of Sri Lanka's debt.

The President of France Emmanuel Macron will visit Sri Lanka on his return from Papua New Guinea, on Friday (28) night to Saturday (29) morning.

Reports said that the French President will meet with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe during his brief stay.

The official discussion between the two Heads of State will centre on strengthening bilateral relations in the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Sri Lanka. The discussion will also focus on an exchange of views on global, economic and political affairs.

The French President will be accompanied by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna and a high–level delegation comprising senior officials of the French Government.

This historic visit is the first by a French president to Sri Lanka.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will visit Sri Lanka on Friday (28) on a two-day official visit.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Japanese Foreign Minister is scheduled to have official discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry at the Ministry and pay courtesy calls on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Hayashi Yoshimasa will be accompanied by Senior Foreign Policy Coordinator Murakami Manabu, Director General Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs ARIMA Yutaka, Director General International Cooperation ENDO Kazuya, Deputy Press Secretary Okano Yukiko from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan and a 22 – member delegation consisting of officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

In Sri Lanka, Hayashi will discuss the country’s debt problems.