Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has spent Rs. 10,512,716 for 25 visits abroad since January 2008 upto last month, Parliament was told yesterday (24).

Of this amount Rs. 10,188,617 has been spent on airfaire and the balance of Rs. 324,099 had beent spent as other expenses, Foreign Minister Bogollagama told Parliament.

The highest amount Rs. 19,598,79 was spent on his visit to Brazil on 12/9/2008. The lowest amount was Rs. 8288, which he had spent on a visit to India on 10/11/2008. The ministry did not pay the airfare for this visit, as Foreign Minister had travelled with the President by a special flight.

Minister Bogollagama had visited Pakistan, UN, China, Egypt, USA, Italy, India, Thailand, SAARC countries, Maldives, Singapore, Iran, Ireland, Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, Qatar, Australia, Turkey, Dubai, Belgium, Nepal, Libya and Jordan.

Minister Bogollagama was answering a question raised by JVP MP Premasiri Manage. Asked to state to the House what the benefits of these visits were, Minister Bogollagama said that these visits were fruitful to create a clear picture of the situation in the country during the war against terrorism. Apart from strengthening bilateral and multilateral relationships, Sri Lanka had benefitted immensely as the country’s recognition in the international for a such as Asian Regional Symposium, BIMSTEC, Shangri-la Dialogue, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, selecting for SAARC presidency and for the top posts in the Non-Alighnment Movement, he said.