Minister praises India and Pakistan for unstinted support

Uditha Kumarasinghe and Irangika Range

Public Adminstration and Home Affairs Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama told Parliament yesterday that the Indian Government was ready to provide US$ 2.6 billion to Sri Lanka if the IMF had not granted its loan facility.

The Minister said that Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had even told the IMF on one occasion in this regard.

"If the IMF had not approved the credit facility for Sri Lanka, India had pledged to provide that amount of funds," he said. It was the kind of friendship that we have developed with our neighbouring countries, he said.

The Government would never forget the assistance extended by regional countries like India and Pakistan during the difficult periods.