Lakshman Kadirgamar: An Appreciation

I was shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar. I offer my sympathy and condolences to Mr. Kadirgamar's family, the Cabinet of Ministers, and the government of Sri Lanka that he served with such distinction and dedication.

Although we did not meet often, the late Mr. Kadirgamar and I were in regular contact. He used to pass on to me the greetings and good wishes from various dignitaries and intellectuals that he regularly met on his extensive global travels. He once thanked me for being a 'one man cheering squad for Sri Lanka' - which is one of the finest compliments I have received.

Mr. Kadirgamar's many and varied contributions - in areas as diverse as law, intellectual property, diplomacy and sports - have been widely acknowledged. He also deserves credit for systematically modernising the Sri Lankan Foreign Service to face new challenges of the rapidly globalising world. In particular, he encouraged the use of information and communication technologies in projecting a coherent, consistent image of Sri Lanka overseas. It was during his first term that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs engaged the global Internet.

I am particularly grateful to the late Minister for the interest he took in the adoption and ratification of the US-Sri Lanka Double Tax Treaty. While it remained unresolved, it was a cause of concern for myself and several thousand Sri Lankans with business or professional links with the US.

The best tribute to the late Minister is to pursue his ideal for lasting peace in Sri Lanka. But as I have often pointed out, peace cannot just be wished for; it involves hard work, moral courage and persistence. Let us harness our collective energies to create a culture of peace and a land of prosperity.

Sir Arthur Clarke