Wednesday Nov 19, 2008
KOTTE: Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told Parliament yesterday that the Government firmly maintains the stance of eradicating terrorism and bringing a political solution to the ethnic problem.

The Minister speaking at the Committee Stage Debate on the Foreign Ministry, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has clearly expressed to the international community that the country’s political issues will be solved only through political means while also taking measures to put an end to terrorism.

“In order to turn this objective into a reality, we need to reach a consensus with the Opposition. That is why the President has invited the Opposition Leader and other political parties in the Opposition to become a part of this process to bring a pragmatic solution to this issue, he said.

The Minister said the APRC is also in the process of introducing a solution which can be accepted to all political parties. “Therefore all political parties should reach to a consensus regarding this issue.”

“We are not ready to subject Sri Lanka to any country for investigation. But we are ready for a dialogue with any foreign country regarding our issues,” he said.

The Government during the past few years received great assistance from the international community towards the Government’s development projects and other humanitarian needs. The Government has also maintained a close dialogue with the EU regarding the issues of the Sri Lankan economy. Bogollagama said: “The Government’s foreign engagement has reached a highest level due to sound foreign policy followed by the Government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. It starts from what we said to the people in the Mahinda Chinthana in 2005.”

The Minister said countering terrorism is not a political solution to the ethnic problem.

“It will pave the way to bring a political solution to this issue. Our key responsibility is to introduce a political solution to this problem. However, we have to call terrorists as terrorists.”

The Minister said Sri Lanka is considered as one of the most democratic countries. “We have maintained the highest level of dignity and decorum in conducting our affairs.”

“The Indian engagement is most important to Sri Lanka. Therefore we invite all Indian politicians to visit Sri Lanka. This is an open country to the entire world. Sri Lanka is a destination of the highest level of diplomacy. The Government is also maintaining the present situation in South India, he said.

“The Government has taken every possible measures to eliminate terrorism. We have come to the end of this task now. Our heroic Armed Forces are now engaging in the task of liberating the North,” Bogollagama said.

The Minister said: “We need to accelerate the political process to bring a lasting solution to the ethnic issue. At present the APRC proposals have also been submitted to the Cabinet.

In the past too, we were looking into negotiations with the LTTE. But they further engaged in killing our innocent people. Therefore we have to respond to the LTTE terrorism through military means. At present our Armed Forces are achieving great victories against terrorists.”

Source: DAILY NEWS
Author: Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe