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| | Archives May-Jun 2010 |
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Conditions imposed by EC erodes GOSL authority to deal with sensitive domestic issues
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The Cabinet of Ministers of Sri Lanka at their meeting on Wednesday, 23rd June
considered a letter dated 17th June 2010 received from the European Commission
(EC) stating that the GSP+ preferences could be extended for a limited additional period, subject to a clear commitment
by Sri Lanka to fulfill all of 15 conditions spelt out in a list attached to the Commission letter.
The Cabinet of Ministers noted that Sri Lanka appreciates the benefits that
were received for a certain period while the GSP+ concession was in operation
and expressed that the Government’s considered view was that the conditions
imposed by the European Commission, under the guise of what is essentially
a trade agreement, amount to an intervention, the range and depth of which
inevitably erodes in every significant respects, the authority of the Government of Sri Lanka to decide
upon, and to deal with, a variety of sensitive domestic issues which have a vital bearing on the well being of our nation.
Read more...
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Statement on the appointment of the Sri Lanka – Panel of Experts by the Secretary General of the United Nations
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The Government of Sri Lanka strongly opposes the appointment, by the Secretary
General of the United Nations, of the Sri Lanka – Panel of Experts announced
by his Spokesperson in New York on Tuesday, 22nd June 2010.
Sri Lanka regards the appointment of the Sri Lanka – Panel of Experts
as an unwarranted and unnecessary interference with a sovereign nation.
This interference, moreover, has potential for exploitation by vested
interests hostile to the process of reconciliation taking place in Sri Lanka.
Read more...
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Sri Lanka has lessons to the world on defeating terror President Rajapaksa
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his address to the Nation on the Victory Day celebrations
at Galle Face on friday (18 June) said, “We are aware that some countries
being battered by terrorism have taken strength from the victories won by
Sri Lanka over terrorism. It is time for the countries facing attacks from
terrorism to look back and see where they had gone wrong, whereas Sri Lanka
has succeeded. It is a grave error of judgment to think that while being
opposed to terrorism targeting you, to believe that terrorism that is no
threat to you is good. The world has so far trod on this wrong path.
Terrorism remains unvanquished because of this incorrect thinking.
The countries that show
sympathy towards terrorism and separatism will be the victims of terrorism.
Read more...
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Recent Sri Lanka - EU talks a useful confidence building measure
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Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha has said,
the two rounds of talks between the European Union (EU) and the Sri Lanka delegation led by
the Attorney General held in Brussels in March and May 2010 had served as a useful confidence
building measure, in a relationship which had been affected largely on account of the differing
perceptions over the years regards the ramifications of Sri Lanka’s continued struggle with the LTTE.
Ambassador Aryasinha made this observation when he participated in a round table discussion titled
“The EU's future relations with Sri Lanka: Trade and the GSP+ issue”,
hosted by the European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS) in Brussels on 10 June 2010.
Read more...
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“Trust me to resolve problems of the people” President tells Tamil leaders
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“Trust me, and together we can find a solution to the problems faced by all our people,” President Mahinda Rajapaksa told representatives of the Tamil political parties when they met him at his office in the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (June 07).
The President had meetings with members of the EPDP led by the Minister Douglas Devananda and the TNA led by Mr. R. Sampanthan.
Read more...
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Sri Lanka Embassy Celebrates Vesak Festival
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The Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels celebrated Vesak festival on 05 June 2010,
at the Embassy premises. Ven. Murungasyaye Gnanissara, the Chief Incumbent
of the Jethavana Vihara in France conducted the religious observances followed
by a sermon and chanting of seth pirith to invoke blessings on Sri Lankas.
Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha
and staff of the Embassy were joined by members of the Sri Lankan community
in Belgium on this occasion.
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Sri Lanka briefs EC Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Georgiva on steps aimed at reaping the peace dividend
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The delegation of Sri Lankan senior officials led by Attorney General Mohan Pieris
presently in Brussels for the Sri Lanka-EU GSP+ Dialogue, on Friday 21st May called
Dr. Kristalina Georgiva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation,
Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. The Attorney General was joined in
the discussion by Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, External
Affairs Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to
Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union Ravinatha Aryasinha,
Director/Europe of
the Ministry of External Affairs Manisha Gunasekera and Second
Secretary (Political) of the Embassy Madhuka Wicramarachchi.
Read more...
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Senior Officials Delegation participates in EU-Sri Lanka GSP+ Dialogue in Brussels
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A delegation of Sri Lankan Senior Officials led by the Attorney General
Mohan Pieris, which included Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara and
External Affairs Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe, met with Senior Officials
of the European Commission in Brussels on 20-21 May 2010 to
continue their dialogue on Human Rights in the context of GSP+.
In an agreed statement issued, the two side said “the meeting focussed on Sri Lanka’s
recent actions and intentions, in particular relating to those areas highlighted by the
report of the European Commission. Both sides agreed to continue the ongoing
dialogue.”
Read more...
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President appoints Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed the eight member ’Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation’
Commission to report on the lessons to be learnt from the events in the period, Feb 2002
to May 2009, their attendant concerns and to recommend measures to ensure that there
will be no recurrence of such a situation.
The Commission has been charged with reporting whether any person, group
or institution directly or indirectly bears responsibility in this regard.
It is also charged with reporting on measures to be taken to prevent the recurrence of
such concerns in the future and promote further national unity and
reconciliation among all communities.
Read more...
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Sri Lanka says PTGTE latest ruse to perpetuate terrorist struggle by the LTTE
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Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha has said the LTTE’s initiative to form a so called
“Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam” (PTGTE) with “country working groups”
at national and regional levels in western countries, was a ruse to perpetuate its terrorist struggle,
and has urged the European governments not to provide any political or symbolic support towards these moves.
Ambassador Aryasinha made these observations when he addressed the
“ Diplomatic Security Conference on the Terrorism Situation and
Trends in the EU” held at the Colonial Palace in Brussels on 11 May 2010,
where the findings of Europol’s EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TESAT) 2010
was discussed. The Conference, attended by politicians, diplomats, academics, and members
of the law enforcement and criminal justice community, was co-hosted by the European
Corporate Security Association (ECSA) and the Belgian Foreign Ministry.
Read more...
Statement at Europol Seminar on LTTE - December 2008
Statement at Eurojust Tactical Meeting on LTTE Front Organizations
- March 2009
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Cabinet approves appointment of “Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission”
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The Cabinet of Ministers approved the setting up of a “Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission”
when President Mahinda Rajapaksa presented a cabinet paper at the weekly meeting. This was announced
by the Minister of Mass Media and Information, Keheliya Rambukwella at the post cabinet
press briefing held at the Department of Information on Thursday (May 13). The period of
inquiry of the Commission covers from the commencement of the Ceasefire Agreement
of February 2002 to its manifest breakdown that then finally led to the termination
of the conflict situation in May 2009.
The Commission will comprise persons of eminence, representing the multi-ethnic
and multi-cultural nature of Sri Lankan society.
Read more...
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Government is mindful of conflict situation – President tells Diplomats
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Sri Lankan Government has also been mindful of the need to heal the wounds caused
to national amity by the conflict situation. It is government intention to shortly appoint a
Commission on Post- Conflict Study and Reconciliation, the preliminary work on which is now being concluded.
It is the responsibility to ensure that henceforth, no future generation of Sri Lankans,
will have to experience the anguish that we underwent during the last three decades, said
President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the diplomatic community at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (10).
Full Speech
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New Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G. L. Peiris assumes duties
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The new Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Gamini Lakshman Peiris assumed duties at the Ministry of External Affairs on 3rd May 2010 (today)
amidst the chanting of pirith followed by a brief sermon and blessings by the religious dignitaries present on the occasion.
Read more...
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