The visiting Deputy Foreign Minister of Poland Leszek Soczewica and the Acting Foreign Minister Dr. Harsha De Silva signed the agreements.

The agreement for tourism promotion is expected to substantially increase the number of Polish tourists visiting Sri Lanka, while the agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion, is aimed at facilitating cross-flow of trade, investment, financial activities and technical corporation between Sri Lanka and Poland.

At a joint press conference held after the signing of the agreements with the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Poland, Dr. Silva said held just after signing the agreements Poland is a country of almost 40 million people and Sri Lanka will certainly like to see more Polish tourists visiting Sri Lanka.

Soczewica underscored the importance of Sri Lanka as a tourist destination for the people of Poland, stating that Sri Lanka is one of the most popular destinations for Polish tourists.

He said, during bilateral talks, they discussed matters concerning mutual support that the two countries can extend to each other at multilateral fora.

“We spoke of our application for GSP plus at the end of the year. The deputy minister graciously mentioned that they would be looking at that matter favourably,” Dr. Silva said.

“Poland requested for our support for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the years 2018 and 2019, and we said that we would be looking at it favourably, and that we would discuss the matter with them in due course,” he said.

Poland’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Soczewica said, Poland is very impressed by the democratic and economic process in Sri Lanka. We have agreed to expand our consultations with Sri Lanka.

“We have agreed to widen and deepen our cooperation in the economic sphere with Sri Lanka,” he said.

He also invited Acting Foreign Minister Harsha De Silva to visit Poland with a business delegation outlining their interest to corporate in the field of the leisure industry.