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Inspiring words of support

Unflagging international support for the peace process in Sri Lanka is one predominant positive from which this country could gather succour and strength. Close on the heels of a recent joint statement by the Co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka, pledging ardent support for our peace process, comes a strong word of support from the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jeffrey Lunstead, that this country should courageously soldier on to peace, making itself an example to the rest of the world, in the process.

The US Ambassador was unambiguous in his pronouncement that Lanka enjoyed the backing of the international community in this effort. It is their wish that Sri Lanka would overcome all obstacles on the path to peace.

Inasmuch as we are buoyed by these warm words of support for our peace endeavour, we could also take heart from the fact that the US has made very clear its conditions for lifting its ban on the LTTE.

On this issue, its principled position is most exemplary and we hope other sections of the world community which cannot quite make up their minds on the issue, would be inspired into a clearer stand by the US' clarity of position.

The US has declared in no uncertain terms that the LTTE needs to lay down arms and renounce terror, if its ban on the organisation is to be lifted. By not prevaricating on this issue, the US has given us an object lesson in consistency in policy and we hope its principled opposition to the LTTE's policy of armed confrontation would bear fruit.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka should make judicious use of this climate of opinion to push the peace process relentlessly forward. While this fund of international goodwill should be made use of to the maximum, there is no denying the fact that peace could be arrived at only by the principal Lankan parties concerned.

In this exercise, the Lankan parties should be both well principled and accommodative. We do not believe that the ISGA proposals should be viewed as an insurmountable obstacle to resuming negotiations. For, the ISGA could be made the basis for talks.

There is a vital difference between accepting the ISGA and adopting it and making it the basis for negotiations. What would be ideal from the Lankan viewpoint would be the latter.

There needs to be a recognition of each others concerns by the parties to the conflict. We hope that sincerity and honesty would prevail in this process. We also call on all of Lanka's political parties and actors to put the best interests of the country above short-term interests at this critical juncture when they need to back peace wholeheartedly.

Boost for Singapore-Lanka ties

Singapore and Sri Lanka are alike in many ways. Both are Asian islands, though Singapore is much smaller than Sri Lanka. Both are multi-ethnic, multi-religious nations.

Singapore, one of the few countries that Sri Lankans can visit without a visa, is only three and a half hours away by air and affordable package tours to the 'Lion City' are very popular. Such people-to-people contacts have strengthened links between the two countries over the years.

Ties between the two countries will receive a further boost during Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's two-day official visit to Sri Lanka on the invitation of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. The visit, which begins today, is the first to Sri Lanka by a Singaporean Prime Minister after Lee Kwan Yew's 1979 trip.

This is a golden opportunity to review bilateral relations between the two countries and to make a fresh start to improve links on all fronts - diplomatic, trade and tourism. Both sides must explore the possibility of formulating a fully-fledged free trade pact to boost two-way trade, which has been rising steadily.

Sri Lanka is Singapore's 46th largest trading partner, while Singapore is Sri Lanka's fifth largest trading partner. There is much room for improvement here.

Top On the tourism front, more than 60,000 Lankans visit Singapore every year, but fewer Singaporeans come here on business and leisure. Further improving air links - the two countries already have an 'open skies' framework - and launching a sustained 'Visit Sri Lanka' campaign in Singapore would help raise these numbers.

It was only a few decades ago that former Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew described Sri Lanka as an example to Singapore and Asia. Now, the tables have been turned and most Lankans envy Singapore's prime position in the global economic scene.

Indeed, Singapore is one of the Tiger economies of Asia and all global corporate giants have a foothold in the City State. Living standards are among the highest in Asia, if not the world. Corruption remains very low by Asian standards.

There are many other lessons that we can draw from Singapore. The City State has instilled a sense of discipline in its denizens, be it keeping the roads clean or the traffic flowing smoothly. Such self-discipline, coupled with visionary leadership, enabled Singapore to rise to the top.

We do not necessarily have to make Sri Lanka another Singapore as some politicians promised, but its sheer success should spur us to reach greater heights.

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