Sri Lanka proved terrorism could be defeated

Lakshmi de Silva

The message President Mahinda Rajapaksa conveyed to the Non-Aligned Movement Summit held recently in Egypt was that terrorism should be defeated, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told a press conference in Colombo yesterday.

President Rajapaksa was hailed by all the leaders who attended the 15th Non- Aligned Movement as a leader who defeated terrorism and at the same time initiated economic development of the country.

It was a significant event at the 15th NAM Summit where118 nations were represented. Among them were 60 Heads of State in governments and 118 Foreign Ministers at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Bogollagama said

He said President Rajapaksa was warmly greeted at the Summit as one of the most distinguished leaders especially after former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike one of the founder Heads of Government of the NAM. This Summit was also significant to our country, the Minister said.

Former Prime Minister Bandaranaike presided over the fifth NAM Summit in 1976 in Colombo and Sri Lanka had maintained strong ties with all NAM countries during the past 55 years, he said.