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| Saturday, 16 October 2004 |
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| Govt. appreciates EU help to solve ethnic issue - Prof. Warnapala The government appreciates the European Union's (EU) cooperation to solve the ethnic problem, Deputy Foreign Minister, Prof. Wiswa Warnapala told European Union, Charge d' Affaires, Wouter Wilton when he paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister at the Ministry. Receiving the European delegation in Sri Lanka, Prof. Warnapala also said that Government appreciates the union's assistance for the realisation of the peace process. "The setting up of the Peace Council is a step in the right direction and we believe that all patriotic forces and political parties in Sri Lanka will rally round the Peace Council in search of a permanent solution to the ethnic issue," Prof. Warnapala said. "The European Union has backed the Sri Lankan Government unreservedly," he said. Wilton said the European Nations are keen to seek a speedy solution to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka since it has to suffer the spillover effects from an influx of illegal immigrants. "Successive Sri Lankan governments have maintained a close dialogue with the European Union on the efforts made to achieve peace. Sri Lanka is currently working with the European Union on the issue of asylum, migration and readmissions," he said. Wilton said: "We strongly believe that whatever the solution that we seek to resolve this question it should be within the borders of Sri Lanka. The unity and the territorial sovereignty of the country can never be bargained. We appreciate the new moves taken by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to solve the national crisis". The European Union is the result of a process of cooperation and integration which began in 1951 between Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxemburg and the Netherlands. The European Union has 15 members and a population of 544 million. Following the visit of the European Commission Assessment Mission to Sri Lanka from January 20-31, 2003 the European Commission pledged enhanced assistance to post-conflict rehabilitation, reconstruction and development in Sri Lanka. |
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