Sri Lankan president visits Cuba

Sri Lanka's president met with his Cuban counterpart to discuss a range of issues, including relations between the two island states, state media reported. Mahinda Rajapakse and Raul Castro on Saturday spoke about "the current state of bilateral relations and other issues of regional and international interest," read a statement broadcast on local television. Rajapakse arrived in Cuba on Friday. He heads to Brazil Tuesday for a United Nations conference on sustainable development in Rio de Janeiro. During the remainder of his stay in Cuba, Rajapakse is scheduled to visit a pharmaceutical laboratory as well as a biotechnology center. Rajapakse's trip to Cuba coincides with that of Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, who announced Saturday that New Dehli hopes to strengthen economic ties with Havana.