Colombo: Russia will assist Sri Lanka, which is seeking ways to consolidate its regional position through balanced diplomacy and attracting foreign investments, to improve its defense capacity, Russian Foreign Minister Serge Lavrov said in Colombo on Tuesday.
Lavrov arrived in the island nation on Tuesday on a two-day official visit and is accompanied by a 42-member delegation.
According to the Russian foreign ministry, Lavrov will meet with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He will also hold talks with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena.
"We have been providing cooperation in defense and we will continue to do so," Lavrov, who had served here as a Russian diplomat in the past, told reporters when asked on the level of cooperation with Colombo.
"Sri Lankan military will be assisted to improve its defense capacity," he said.
Lavrov's visit is expected to lead to the third meeting of the Russian-Sri Lankan intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation to be held in Moscow in the second half of the year.
According to media reports, Lavrov plans to discuss the current state of Russian-Sri Lankan relations, the prospects for promoting political dialogue, the development of cooperation in trade, economic, humanitarian and other fields, as well as consider expanding the bilateral legal framework.
Following the island nation's visit, Lavrov will visit India to take part in the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi from January 14-16.
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Lavrov's visit comes in addition to those of Japanese State Minister for Regional Revitalisation Kozo Yamamoto and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
All visits are expected to be geostrategic and economic relations based, Sri Lankan foreign ministry officials said.
The new administration of Gotabaya is seeking ways to consolidate its regional position through balanced diplomacy with the wider objective of attracting foreign investments, officials said.
The president has postponed his visit to China while his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa has announced his plan to make an official visit to India next month.
Gotabaya preferred New Delhi for his first overseas visit after becoming the president in November.
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