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Lanka seeking more investment as peace talks proceed - Tyronne

Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando has invited the Dubai based Business Council to increase its volume of investment in Sri Lanka mainly concentrating on the tourism sector which has registered a significant increase due to the peace process, the Khaleej Times reported yesterday.

Fernando now on a three-nation visit to the Middle-East met the Sri Lanka Business Council members on Thursday evening, after his arrival in Dubai.

"The peace process is progressing in the right direction. It is a great achievement to talk to the Tigers who grew, to become 'fathers of the suicide bombers,' something past governments had failed at," the Minister was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times.

"We are seeking investment for Sri Lanka - a country which is now being recognised as a safe and peaceful country in this part of the world.

"The peace talks are expected to give a big boost to the country's economy, which has already witnessed a steady growth since the new government came into power in 2001," he said. The Minister urged Sri Lankan businessmen to return to Sri Lanka and invest in the country as the country wants everyone to benefit from this economic growth.

During his visit Fernando is due to meet his counterparts, labour ministers and leaders in several Arab nations including the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

Commenting about his desire to be a candidate for the UN Secretary General post, Fernando said he was probably the only candidate so far from Asia to bid for the post, well ahead of time. "In his view, the next UN Secretary General should be a politician, rather than a bureaucrat, considering the problems faced by the UN by way of terrorism and poverty among many other issues," the newspaper said. 

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