Job opportunities for Lankan skilled workers in France

COLOMBO: France has pledged to enhance job opportunities for migrants from Sri Lanka in the professional and skilled worker categories and for students in the IT and the natural science disciplines. It has been proposed that a protocol be signed between the Governments of Sri Lanka and France in this connection.

This follows discussions held between Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and the French Minister for Immigration, Integration and National Identity Brice Hortefeux in Paris on Tuesday.

The Foreign Minister on a three day visit to France to meet with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner and other senior French Officials.

The French Immigration Minister noted that France hosted a large Sri Lankan population which comprised of students and mostly unskilled workers.

He said the French government was keen to ensure that those entering France for work do so legally, and that they bring in skills that supported the development of the French economy, in keeping with the new policies of French President Sarkozy.

Bogollagama while welcoming the offer to send skilled workers as well as to encourage more students to study in France, noted the limited number of Institutes that taught French in Sri Lanka and the need to enhance French teaching institutes in Sri Lanka. He requested the support of the French government to bolster the capacity for French teaching in Sri Lanka.

Discussing the presence of illegal Sri Lankan migrants in France Bogollagama said it was estimated that about 120,000 Sri Lankans lived in France, were mostly Tamil and that many of them enjoy refugee status. He said it has also been suggested that up to 30,000 of those would fall into the illegal category.

The two Ministers also discussed the ramifications resulting from the activities carried out by persons functioning as agents of the LTTE in France. They noted that upto 14 LTTE leaders were presently under arrest for terrorist related crimes.

Minister Bogollagama while thanking the French Government for the action taken to curb the activities of the LTTE on French soil urged continued vigilance by the French authorities to crack down on these agents.

It was noted that the LTTE had numerous front organisations operating in Paris and other cities and that many asylum seekers were abusing the liberal asylum policies of the West.

Associated with Foreign Minister Bogollagama were Chitranganee Wagiswara, Ambassador of Sri Lanka in France, Ravinatha Aryasinha, Director General/Public Communications, Rodney Perera, Director General/West and Himalle Arunatilaka, Counsellor/Head of Chancery.