Breaking News:President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Commonwealth Speech Has Been Cancelled
June 5, 2012
By Colombo Telegraph -
Rajapaksa
“After careful consideration the morning sessions of the Forum on Wednesday 6th of June have been cancelled and will not take place. The event will therefore commence with lunch at 1300hrs followed by the originally planned afternoon sessions beginning at 1400hrs.” Diamond JubileeCommonwealth Economic Forum announced a short while ago.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to make a Special address at the Commonwealth Economic Forumorganized by the Commonwealth Business Council and the City of London tomorrow morning. Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation has broadcast the following news an hour ago; “President Mahinda Rajapakse and Madam Shiranthi Rajapakse participated in a special thanks giving service at the St. Paul Cathedral in London. A huge crowd attended this service which was held inline with the diamond jubilee of the queen’s coronation. The president also participated in the welcome ceremony for heads of state organized in the Buckingham palace yesterday. The president was scheduled to meet Commonwealth General Secretary Kamalesh Sharma and Director General of Commonwealth Allen Collins today. President Rajapakse will address the business forum tomorrow morning organized by the Commonwealth economic association. Leaders from 54 Commonwealth countries have arrived in London for the diamond jubilee celebrations.”
In December 2010, during the president’s last visit to the United Kingdom, his planned address to the Oxford Union debating society was cancelled.
In a statement at the time, President Rajapakse said “I am very sorry this has had to be cancelled, but I will continue to seek venues in the UK and elsewhere where I can talk about my future vision for Sri Lanka.” Tomorrow’s speech was to have been his first such address in the UK since the Oxford event was cancelled.
To read the amended agenda click here
Watch video here;
