Govt. firm on eradicating terrorism - FM
Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen
Marasinghe
KOTTE: Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told Parliament yesterday
that the Government firmly maintains the stance of eradicating terrorism
and bringing a political solution to the ethnic problem.
The Minister speaking at the Committee Stage Debate on the Foreign
Ministry, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has clearly expressed to the
international community that the country’s political issues will be
solved only through political means while also taking measures to put an
end to terrorism.
“In order to turn this objective into a reality, we need to reach a
consensus with the Opposition. That is why the President has invited the
Opposition Leader and other political parties in the Opposition to
become a part of this process to bring a pragmatic solution to this
issue, he said.
The Minister said the APRC is also in the process of introducing a
solution which can be accepted to all political parties. “Therefore all
political parties should reach to a consensus regarding this issue.”
“We are not ready to subject Sri Lanka to any country for
investigation. But we are ready for a dialogue with any foreign country
regarding our issues,” he said.
The Government during the past few years received great assistance
from the international community towards the Government’s development
projects and other humanitarian needs. The Government has also
maintained a close dialogue with the EU regarding the issues of the Sri
Lankan economy. Bogollagama said: “The Government’s foreign engagement
has reached a highest level due to sound foreign policy followed by the
Government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. It
starts from what we said to the people in the Mahinda Chinthana in
2005.”
The Minister said countering terrorism is not a political solution to
the ethnic problem.
“It will pave the way to bring a political solution to this issue.
Our key responsibility is to introduce a political solution to this
problem. However, we have to call terrorists as terrorists.”
The Minister said Sri Lanka is considered as one of the most
democratic countries. “We have maintained the highest level of dignity
and decorum in conducting our affairs.”
“The Indian engagement is most important to Sri Lanka. Therefore we
invite all Indian politicians to visit Sri Lanka. This is an open
country to the entire world. Sri Lanka is a destination of the highest
level of diplomacy. The Government is also maintaining the present
situation in South India, he said.
“The Government has taken every possible measures to eliminate
terrorism. We have come to the end of this task now. Our heroic Armed
Forces are now engaging in the task of liberating the North,”
Bogollagama said.
The Minister said: “We need to accelerate the political process to
bring a lasting solution to the ethnic issue. At present the APRC
proposals have also been submitted to the Cabinet.
In the past too, we were looking into negotiations with the LTTE. But
they further engaged in killing our innocent people. Therefore we have
to respond to the LTTE terrorism through military means. At present our
Armed Forces are achieving great victories against terrorists.”
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