Australia thanks Sri Lanka

For facilitating safe return of Australian nationals:

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith has thanked the Government of Sri Lanka for facilitating the safe return of three Australian members of the Sri Lanka national cricket team, which came under attack by terrorists in Lahore last Tuesday, March 3.

The Minister conveyed the Australian Government’s deep appreciation when he telephoned his Sri Lankan counterpart, Rohitha Bogollagama in Colombo on March 7.

He also expressed his sympathy and concern for the members of the cricket team and their families who had been traumatised by this ordeal.

He informed the Sri Lankan Minister that he had spoken to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and had offered assistance in the investigation into the incident, including the provision of forensic experts.

Minister Smith also conveyed his Government’s gratitude to Sri Lanka for having facilitated the safe passage of an Australian national, who had been trapped in the uncleared areas in the North in a food convey earlier this year.

Bogollagama thanked the Australian Foreign Minister for his expression of concern for the Sri Lankan cricketers and added that the Government considered itself duty-bound to ensure the safety and well-being of the three Australian members of the cricket team, as well as in facilitating their expeditious and safe return to Colombo.

Minister Bogollagama took the opportunity to brief his Australian colleague of current developments pertaining to the humanitarian situation of the civilian population held captive in the narrow coastal strip in the Mullaitivu district, as well as the facilities being provided by the Government to the many thousands of Tamil civilians, who have braved the bullets of the LTTE and fled to Government controlled areas and sought sanctuary.

The Minister also highlighted the paramount concern of the Government for the safety and welfare of the civilian population who are being forcibly held against their will by the LTTE and is deeply troubled by their untold misery and suffering.