EU congratulates President

The EU in a press release yesterday welcomed that the Presidential Elections in Sri Lanka, the first election of this kind for many years, took place in an overall peaceful environment.

The large turn out demonstrates the wish of the Sri Lankan people to participate fully in the democratic process, the release said.

The EU congratulates President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his reelection and stands ready to work with him and his Government in support of his objective of bringing sustainable peace to all people in Sri Lanka and actively engaging in an inclusive process of national reconciliation.

The EU reiterates its concern that a significant number of incidents occurred during the election campaign. It trusts that the irregularities reported by election observers and the election commission will be duly investigated, that the safety and security of all candidates and campaign workers will be ensured by the authorities.

The EU looks forward to continuing and reinforcing its co-operation with Sri Lanka, with a view to consolidating the relationship on the basis of shared values and common interests.