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Minister has successful meetings in Rome

The Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena had a series of successful meetings during his short official visit in Rome.

The first such meeting was with the Sri Lankan community in Rome on December 15. The meeting started with an address by the Minister with a special reference to Sri Lanka's peace process. The Sri Lankans commending the Government's steps to achieve peace, expressed their hope that it would be successful.

Among the concerns expressed by the Sri Lankans were the suspension of SriLankan Airlines flights to Italy and exorbitant charges levied on issuance of passports figured prominent. The Minister accepting that the existing charges needed downward revision, said immediate revision is difficult due to the financial hardships faced by the government. With regard to SriLankan air flights to Italy, Dr. Jayawardena agreed to take up the issue with authorities in Sri Lanka. Ananda Seneviratne, President of the Sri Lanka Association in Rome and Nimal Abeyrama were among the participants at the meeting.

The Minister's engagement on December 16 included among others a meeting with his Lordship Rt. Rev. Dr. Malcolm Ranjith, President for Pontifical Mission Societies and Adjurer Secretary of Vatican and Cyriil Enweze, Vice President of the International Fund Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome.

Responding to Dr. Jayawardena's briefing, His Lordship commended Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for his commitment and dedication towards reaching a negotiated settlement for Sri Lanka's ethnic problem. His Lordship also agreed to consider favourably the minister's request for financial assistance from the Vatican to rehabilitate Catholic churches damaged in the North and East. The necessity to resume SriLankan air flights to Italy was also reiterated during the meeting.

The minister's wife Ujitha Jayawardena and his children Kavinda and Vindya accompanied him to the meeting with His Lordship.

The minister briefed the IFAD Vice President on the peace process. As the Minister in charge of rehabilitation, resettlement and refugees of Sri Lanka, he referred to his responsibility in supporting nearly two million of victims to resume their normal life source and enhanced assistance from IFAD to strengthen the government's hands to achieve a lasting solution to the ethnic problem. The vice president said he will do everything possible to develop the rural agricultural sector in the war-stricken areas.

The most productive meetings were with Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation and James T. Morris, Executive Director of the World Food Programme.

Both officials congratulated Premier Wickremesinghe for his decision to negotiate with the LTTE to achieve a settlement to the ethnic problem. They responded positively to the minister's requests for emergency food assistance, over US$ 3m. for the resettlers in North and East, putting up a factory to produce nutrition food using local inputs and school feeding programme.

Dr. Jayawardena also participated at an audience at the Vatican City. Two statues taken by him will be flown-back to Sri Lanka after obtaining Papal blessings from the Holy Father in Vatican. The minister's visit was facilitated by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Italy and the Sri Lankan community in Rome.

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