Lankan Prez arriving today

KATHMANDU: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is arriving here on Thursday

on a three-day official visit. In March, he had cut short his trip to Nepal due to an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan. During his stay, President Rajapaksa will meet his Nepali counterpart Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and several other leaders. He will also

visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, to inaugurate a Vihar, constructed by Sri Lanka, on October 30. The PM will host a dinner reception in his honour on October 29. According to Rudra Nepal, spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala and Culture Minister Dr Minendra Rijal will receive Rajapaksa at Tribhuwan International Airport. Security has been tightened in Kathmandu and Lumbini in view of the visit. Sri Lanka is the current chair of SAARC. The Sri Lankan President is said to discuss with prime minister several aspects of the regional body.