Riyadh, Nov 21, SPA -- Sri Lanka's new President Mahinda Rajapakse has affirmed that one of his top priorities would be to establish stronger relations with Saudi Arabia and rest of the Arab world. Rajapakse, who took oath as the 5th president of the island country on Saturday, made these remarks during an exclusive telephone interview yesterday with the Jeddah-based Arab News. "I value the friendship we have with Saudi Arabia because it is one of the countries that has stood with Sri Lanka in good and bad times," Rajapakse said, recalling that the world's first woman Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike maintained excellent relations with the Kingdom. "I am following in her footsteps concerning relations with Middle East countries," Rajapakse said.--MORE1035 Local Time 0735 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/304207