No curtailment of German assistance - Embassy

COLOMBO: German Development Cooperation assistance to Sri lanka will not be curtailed, the German Embassy in Colombo said.

The Embassy was referring to reports in some sections of the media that Germany was stopping development aid to Sri Lanka.

The German Embassy said due to the prevailing situation, many projects cannot be implemented. "Due to the difficulties that the prevalent situation is causing to large segments of our programme, the German Government at present does not deem it appropriate to consider new commitments of funds.

This does not mean, as has been misinterpreted on various occasions, that German Development Cooperation with Sri Lanka has come to a halt. On the contrary, major efforts are being made to assist people in need in Sri Lanka," the Embassy said in a statement.

It added: "The German Development Cooperation programme has been active for decades in Sri Lanka. The annual Official Development Aid (ODA) amounted to almost 40 million Euros on an average over the past several years.

Further, an amount of 92 million Euros had been committed after the tsunami disaster of which some 57 million Euros have been used for project-activities up to the end of 2006.

However, the new wave of violations of the ceasefire and other hindrances have severely affected a number of our projects in the north and east.

The implementing agencies for technical and financial cooperation - GTZ and KfW (both, fully owned by the German government) are undergoing a hard time in providing the envisaged and much needed assistance.

As a result, in 2006 alone, the tsunami-aid programme under the German Development Cooperation was unable to carry out its projects worth some 12 million Euros.

Non-governmental organisations that enjoy a very favourable and long standing reputation both in Sri Lanka and outside such as The German Agro-Action or Misereor, report obstructions to their work. Many of their projects that are largely financed with donations by the German people are affected in a similar way.

In order to respond better to the persisting challenges the German Development Cooperation has adjusted its strategy focusing even more on aid for the poor especially those in the north and east who in many cases are suffering more from the bellicose disputes and the aftermath of the tsunami disaster.

The overall approach is to ensure equality between all beneficiaries and the various ethnic groups. In addition, Germany continues to offer its support to the peace process and conflict transformation. Funding the Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies together with the Swiss Government is one element in this context.

Facts need to be placed in the correct perspective with regard to recent reports made in the media that the Berghof Foundation is making undue interference with Sri Lankan politics and is attempting to gain diplomatic immunity.

While these allegations have no base whatsoever the Berghof Foundation functions within the frame of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2004 with the Ministry for Constitutional Affairs and National Integration and the Berghof Foundation responds to the demands for ideas and fora for the discussions of solutions to the protracted conflict, based on the Agreement.

At no time did the Foundation or any expert working for Berghof Foundation in Sri Lanka apply for diplomatic status. All experts who fall under the official German Development Co-operation in our partner countries are and will continue to be fully responsible for any deliberate illegal or criminal act.

We trust that based on this ground the Foundation will continue to enjoy full estimation of its work within the bilateral relations of our two countries.

Above all, Germany's main interest continues to be the revival of the peace process in order to achieve a lasting solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka. In this endeavour we stand firmly together with our partners in the EU, the Co-Chairs, and the international community.