COLOMBO, 04 September 2021, (TON): Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris met the Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of the State of Libya in Sri Lanka Amar A.M. Muftah, at the Foreign Ministry and discussed matters of mutual interest in the bilateral relations between the two countries.

The Libyan Charge d’ Affaires conveyed the felicitations of the Libyan Minister of Foreign Affairs to Minister Peiris on his recent appointment as Foreign Minister.

Libyan Charge d’ Affaires Muftah briefed the Minister on the current situation in Libya, in particular the role of the interim caretaker government that has been in office since March 2021. He briefed on the preparations for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections to be held on 24 December 2021 and made a request for Sri Lanka to consider sending an election monitoring mission.

Foreign Minister Peiris recalled that Sri Lankans have enjoyed universal franchise since 1931, 17 years before independence.

He said that Sri Lanka, as a democracy is supportive of the efforts by Libya to further strengthen the democratic process and will consider this request.