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Rosy welcome for Senanayake

Kuala Lumpur: Sri Lanka's High Commissioner-designate to Malaysia, Bernadine Rose Senanayake, scheduled to arrive here this week, will have no problems adjusting to her new job, the prestigious Malaysian newspaper, The Star said on Monday.

The article titled Rosy welcome for Senanayake by Paul Gabriel stated that her charm alone should put the Miss Sri Lanka 1980, Miss Asia 1981 and Mrs World 1983 winner in good stead.

The Star article: "Senanayake is also no stranger to Malaysia. She won the Miss Asia pageant when it was held here in 1981. The 45-year-old's nomination had been the subject of much interest among the Sri Lankan media, with readers writing in to support the government's choice.

"Rosy", as she is popularly known, had served as United Nations Goodwill Ambassador since 1998 and was thrice invited by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the world body's headquarters in New York. As a member of the Sri Lankan Tea Board, she had also been actively promoting her country's most famous commodity by travelling to over 38 countries.

Staff at the Sri Lankan High Commission here are eagerly awaiting her arrival. "We have full confidence in her abilities as she is a well-known social worker back home," said Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner E.M.S.B. Ekanayake.

"She may not be a professional diplomat, but she has been devoted to promoting Sri Lanka around the world. She has also taken a great interest in promoting the rights of women and adolescents in our country."

Ekanayake said this would be the first time the Sri Lankan mission here would be led by a woman.

However, Senanayake will not be "alone" among the diplomatic corps here - women are also heading the missions of the United States, India, Canada and Fiji.

The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps here, Polish Ambassador Marek Paszucha, said Senanayake would be most welcome here.

"The diplomatic corps consider it an honour to have another woman join our ranks.

"All the women heads of mission here are doing a great job and I'm sure Sri Lanka's new representative will do the same," he said.

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