Sri Lankan foreign minister to visit National Press Club after meeting with Kerry, 6:30 pm Feb. 12

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera will discuss his country's relationship with the United States at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at the National Press Club.

The reception and special briefing for Club members will run until 7:30 p.m. and will be hosted by Club President John Hughes. Samaraweera is scheduled to meet with Secretary of State John Kerry earlier in the day.

Registration is required for the event, which is being hosted by the Club's International Correspondents Committee.

Samaraweera was appointed minister of foreign affairs by President Maithripala Sirisena following the Jan. 8 presidential election. Samaraweera was spokesman for President Sirisena's 2015 election campaign. He was the minister of foreign affairs from 2005 to 2007 during the presidency of Mahinda Rajapakse. He also served as a member of the UNESCO executive board representing Sri Lanka.

As minister of ports and aviation between 2004 and 2007, Samaraweera oversaw an airports and seaports modernization program. From 2001 to 2004 he was the chief opposition whip in the Parliament of Sri Lanka.