Sri Lanka Opened A Mission In Turkey

Sri Lanka and Turkey have opened up a new leaf in their diplomatic and bilateral relationship and Sri Lanka’s new Ambassador designate to Turkey Ms. Bharathi Wijeratne is expected to present her credential to the Turkish President Abdullah Gül in the first week of June 2012

Earlier it was announced that she will be presenting her credential on the 15th of May, but it was postponed to June due to some logistic problems in organizing the new Embassy office, Asian Tribune learnt.

On the second of this month, it was agreed to open up a Sri Lanka Mission in Ankara, Turkey and Karunatilaka Amunugama, Secretary to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of External Affairs was in Ankara along with Ambassador designate Ms. Bharathi Wijeratne and finalized the formal opening of Sri Lanka Mission to Turkey.

Along with the Ambassador designate, the head of the chancery Janaka Kalpahewa and the Attache Ranjit Perera are already in Ankara setting up the Mission office.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador designate Ms. Bharathi Wijeratne told Asian Tribune that Sri Lanka has established a diplomatic Mission in Ankara after 105 years of diplomatic relations with Turkey.

She also said that it is expected Turkey too will establish its Mission in Colombo soon.

Until her appointment as the Ambassador designate to Turkey by Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 21 April, Ms. Bharathi Wijeratne was the Honorary Consul of Turkey in Sri Lanka for a period of 12 years.

Prior to that, her father Wijeratne was the Honorary Consul for Turkey in Sri Lanka for 23 years. Subsequently, Turkish Government honored Wijeratne for his exemplary services with the Mustafa Kemal Atatürk award.

Speaking to Asian Tribune, Ms. Bharathi Wijeratne said that her family – father and daughter, have served Turkey in their capacities as Honorary Consuls continuously for 35 years.

She said that she took up the opportunity to serve as the Head of the Mission of Sri Lanka Embassy in Turkey, when it was offered to her by Mahinda Rajapaksa , President Sri Lanka.

It is learnt that the new Ambassador designate has already a very good network of friends and contacts in Turkey. She became the Honorary Consul for Turkey when the present Turkish President Abdullah Gül was the Foreign Minister.

Ambassador designate told Asian Tribune that already President of Turkey has accepted the invitation to make an official visit to Sri Lanka and now, only the logistic issues alone are impending to finalize the date of his visit .

Earlier on 1st December 2008, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has already made an official visit to Ankara and he was accorded a grand welcome by the Turkish President
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- Asian Tribune –

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