GL on official visits to Slovenia, Austria and Germany

Minister of External Affairs Professor G.L. Peiris left the country over the week-end on official visits to Slovenia, Austria and Germany at the invitation of the Foreign Ministers of these countries.

In Ljubljana he will have bilateral talks with Mr. Karl Erjavec, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Slovenia. Dignitaries with whom Professor Peiris will have discussions in Slovenia include Mr. Janko Veber, President of the National Assembly of Slovenia, Dr. Ernest Patric, President of the Constitutional Court of Slovenia, and a Member of the International Law Commission and Mr. Janez Podobnik, Director General of the International Centre for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE), an inter-governmental organisation located in Ljubljana.

Minister Peiris will address Slovenia's Chamber of Economy and Trade. He will also speak on "The Evolving Political and Economic Landscape in Sri Lanka" at the Slovenian

He will address Slovenia's Chamber of Economy and Trade and speak on "The Evolving Political and Economic Landscape in Sri Lanka" at the Slovenian Association for International Relations

Association for International Relations.

In Vienna Prof. Peiris will have bilateral consultations with Dr. Michael Spindelegger, Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria, with whom Prof. Peiris last interacted on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York three years ago.

During his official visit to Austria the Minister will have discussions with Mr. Rhienhold Lopatka, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Neugebauer, Second President of the Austrian National Council, Mr. Yuri Fedatov, Director General of the United Nations Office in Vienna (UNOV), and Mr. Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretaryelect of the Comprehensive NuclearTest-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).

Prof. Peiris will address the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna on the topic "The Place of Sri Lanka in Europe's Outreach to Asia".