PM, FM express concern over LTTE attack

COLOMBO: Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake yesterday telephoned the Ambassadors who were at the receiving end of the mortar attack by the LTTE in Batticaloa.

The Prime Minister personally conveyed to each of them his own deep concern and regret about the dastardly action by the Tiger terrorists. He spoke to each one of the Ambassadors involved in the incident.

The Ambassadors of the US, Italy, France, Japan and Germany and UN representatives had accompanied Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe for a conference on the resettlement and rehabilitation of those displaced by the violence in the area.

Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said: “I am shocked to learn of the attack made on the diplomats by the LTTE during their visit to Batticaloa.

I particularly regret the injuries sustained by Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani on this occasion. The Government of Sri Lanka condemns this attack on diplomatic personnel.

We will exert every effort to make the Italian Ambassador comfortable and attend to the injuries that he has sustained. We value the cooperation extended by Italy in our common pursuit of combating terrorism in all its forms.”