A Sri Lankan delegation led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday arrived at Male International Airport for a two-day official visit there and were welcomed by Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Here members of the Sri Lanka delegation being introduced to the Maldivian President. (Picture by Sudath Silva)

MALE, Sunday, (AFP) - President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in the Maldives today for a series of talks on bilateral trade, officials said.

President Rajapakse is due to meet Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for a one-on-one meeting followed by lunch with key government officials here.President Rajapaksa is expected to discuss matters of trade, tourism, education and fisheries during his three-day visit to South Asia's most exotic holiday destination.

Officials organising his visit said that President Rajapakse would also meet some of the Sri Lankan community residing here. Maldives employs a large number of Sri Lankans who work in areas ranging from leisure, finance, trade and education.

The Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago consisting of 1,192 coral islands, has had close ties with neighbouring Sri Lanka for many years.

The visit comes three days after President Rajapaksa sacked three key ministers and ordered a top-level police inquiry into what was reported as an alleged conspiracy to assassinate him.

Addressing members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party on Saturday, the President said that the trio had conspired with Tiger rebels to assassinate him, the Sunday Times reported.