Colombo, September 8 (RHC) –- Sri Lanka’s President, Mahinda Rajapksa, reiterated his willingness to further strengthen friendly and cooperative relations with Cuba as he met in the capital Colombo with visiting Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, on an Asian tour that includes Vietnam, Laos and New Zealand.

President Rajapksa said Cuba and Sri Lanka are two countries geographically far from each other but with common challenges and aspirations, according to Prensa Latina news agency.

Bruno Rodriguez and his host agreed that bilateral relations between their nations have a huge potential in the field of trade and investment, as well as in science, culture and sports.

The Cuban government official and the president of Sri Lanka ratified their country’s role in the Non-Aligned Movement and their commitment to the principles of multilateralism, self-determination and non-interference in the internal affairs of the states.