April 26: The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has arrived in the country for the 16th SAARC Summit.

As he arrived at the Paro airport today, President Mahinda Rajapaksa was received by Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley and Aum Rinzy Dem.

President Rajapaksa is the current chairman of SAARC.

This is his first overseas visit since he won a second term in the presidential election in January.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is accompanied by Foreign Minister, G.L. Peiris.

Shortly after he arrived in the capital, President Mahinda Rajapaksa met Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley. They discussed a range of bilateral as well as other issues of mutual concern.

Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley thanked the president who is also the current chairman of SAARC for accepting Bhutan’s invitation to participate in the summit.

While extending his appreciation for the manner in which President Mahinda Rajapaksa had successfully steered SAARC during his tenure as its chairman for the last one and a half years, the Prime Minister also congratulated the President and his party for their victory in the last general elections.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said it was most befitting and auspicious that the 16th summit falling on the Silver Jubilee year of SAARC was being hosted by Bhutan, the land of Gross National Happiness.

The President also pointed out that the climate change theme chosen for the summit was timely, relevant and significant not just for the region but the whole world.