Those who presented credentials were Ambassador of Chile Andres Barbe, Cyprus High Commissioner Dementrious Theophylactou, Ambassador of Czech Republic Milan Hovorka, Danish Ambassador Peter Taksoe-Jensen, Guatemala Ambassador Georges de La Rochew du Renzet Plihal, Ivery Coast Ambassador Sainy Tiemele, Cambodian Ambassador Pichkun Panha and Iran Ambassador Mohammed Zaeri Amirani.

The President briefed the envoys about the middle-path foreign policy of Sri Lanka and said that the country extends a hand of friendship to all the countries in the world. “Today Sri Lanka has only friends in the world,” he said.

President Sirisena, referring to close bilateral relations with Sri Lanka and the countries represented by the new envoys expressed confidence that they would strive to further strengthen bilateral friendship and cooperation in many areas including trade, investment and tourism.

The President also recalled the close cooperation between Sri Lanka and those countries at the international forums and thanked them for the support extended to Sri Lanka. He said Sri Lanka too would extend every possible assistance to those countries.

While the new Ambassador of Iran is based in Colombo, others will function as non-resident Ambassadors/High Commissioner with residence in New Delhi.