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| Tuesday, 10 June 2003 |
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Bharatha Malawaraarachchi reporting from Tokyo The Tokyo aid conference turned out to be a grand success with the donors pledging an unprecedented US dollars 4 billion aid over the next four years to rebuild Sri Lanka. A final declaration on the full aid quantum will be adopted today at the concluding session of the conference. The Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation commenced at the Akasaka Prince Hotel yesterday with the participation of 51 countries and 21 international organizations which includes 12 donor institutions. The unique feature of the event was the participation of representatives from a large number of countries than anticipated . Earlier, the conference was expected to garner three billion US dollars for reconstruction and rehabilitation activities in Sri Lanka at the rate of one billion dollars per year. The conference was chaired by Japan's Special peace envoy to Sri Lanka Yasushi Akashi. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi delivered the opening address and he was followed by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who explained in detail the progress so far achieved by his Government on the peace front, economic reforms and other sectors. Finance Minister K. N. Choksy told the Daily News last evening that the total pledges made by the participant donors for a three year period has exceeded the Government's expectations. He said the aid will be utilized for development projects throughout the country. " The Japanese Government followed by the ADB were the first to pledge one billion US dollars each over the next three years and part of the pledges are outright grants whilst the balance are at very concessionary rates of interest, the Minister added. The World Bank has pledged US Dollars 800 million for Sri Lanka. Minister Choksy said World Bank has in addition consequent upon a discussion with him pledged an additional sum of US dollars 15 million for flood relief. The Minister added that Japanese Finance Minister M. Shiokawa has given an undertaking to visit Sri Lanka with a view to oversee Japanese aid disbursement for development projects and also to ascertain in what areas Japan could assist Sri Lanka further. A senior Government spokesman said that the Government will take steps to re-design new projects in order to utilize the increased amount of aid to the country. The projects in North - East will be implemented with the participation of the LTTE. At the donor conference the EU pledged 293 million dollars over three years, while the United States promised 54 million dollars, but did not indicate the timeframe. Nearly 32 countries and 20 multilateral agencies attending the crucial two-day conference urged the government and the LTTE to immediately develop a peace plan "with clear milestones indicating the path towards a mutually acceptable final political solution," according to a draft declaration. "I sincerely hope that the Tokyo Conference will be an opportunity to demonstrate a strong and unified commitment on the part of the international community to the peace process in Sri Lanka," Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said in opening remarks. Koizumi called upon the LTTE to immediately return to the negotiating table. "Japan is offering maximum measures of assistance with a view to supporting the peace process in Sri Lanka," Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi told the conference. "The resources required for reconstruction and development are enormous," added ADB president Tadao Chino. "The magnitude and timing of our assistance will, of course, depend very much on a resumption of the peace talks and... a formal end to the conflict." Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe used his keynote speech to propose "an innovative provisional administrative structure" for the North-East. "It is now important that we develop a roadmap with milestones to get there," Wickremesinghe said. "In this context we would need to set up an innovative provisional administrative structure. It will be responsible for the reconstruction and development of the northeast and the administrative aspects of the transitional process." US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage urged the LTTE to return to the negotiating table. "I personally appeal to the LTTE. Prove to your people, to all the people of Sri Lanka and donor nations that want to help you, that you are committed to negotiating a settlement," Armitage said. "Prove it by coming back to the table." He further said it is hardly surprising that the rate of progress in peace negotiations has slowed. "I know that this is a difficult time for Sri Lanka. Certainly the LTTE has expressed their frustration and I can understand that. The delivery of goods to these areas has to improve if people are to have faith in the process." He emphasized that a push from the international community, an infusion of moral and material support can move the parties and process forward. "We all know that there won't be another opportunity quite like this one," he added. He said the Government of Sri Lanka will also have to take some difficult steps to make progress at this point. "There is a risk in a multi party democracy that differences of opinion may be exaggerated or misinterpreted by outsiders. So that challenge for the President and the Prime Minister is to demonstrate to the LTTE, international donors that even though there may be disagreements between the parties in power, there is unity of resolve and common purpose." |
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