President holds successful interactions in UK:
Significant foreign policy triumphs for SL
Diasporic extremists’ protests in London rebuffed:
Rasika SOMARATHNA
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s recent visit to the United Kingdom was
hailed as a foreign policy success for Sri Lanka by several officials
who accompanied him on the tour.
Six out of the seven main events the President attended in UK were
resounding successes. These helped to portray the country’s recent gains
and establish Sri Lanka as a nation on the forward march towards a
bright and prosperous future, they said.
These observations were made by the Secretary to the President Lalith
Weeratunge, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to UK Dr Chris Nonis, External
Affairs Ministry Monitoring MP Sajin Vasz Gunewardene and Foreign
Secretary Karunatilake Amunugama during an interaction with the media
yesterday. Mr. Weeratunge speaking on the cancellation of President
Rajapaksa’s scheduled speech at the Commonwealth Economic Forum at
Mansion House, said British Prime Minister David Cameron had expressed
his regret to the President over the disruption of his scheduled speech.
He said this was only one small event among a series of programmes
and added it had not been organised by the British state, but by a
business body.
The Secretary said when the British Premier had made his comments on
the disruptions, the President had replied: “I have been in politics for
42 years. This is no problem at all. I have faced such situations on
many occasions”
Dr Nonis speaking on the President’s visit, described it as one which
moved UK – Sri Lanka relations to a new plateau.
He said six out of seven events the President attended, were highly
successful.
Speaking on security arrangements, Dr Nonis said security aspects of
each event were discussed with British authorities and arrangements made
to provide tight security.
Speaking on the disruption caused by some LTTE supporters, he said
the majority of the diaspora anywhere was very sensible and rational and
it was only a minority who were violent and aggressive. Dr Nonis
emphasised that Sri Lanka should engage constructively with these
countries and added time will heal any wounds that occur in relations.
He pointed out to the seven events, starting from the reception at
Buckingham Palace hosted by the Queen, and described that it had gone
off well despite some LTTE supporters trying to engage in a protest. He
said the event was a triumph for Sri Lanka.
Dr Nonis said the President had also attended the St Pauls Cathedral
Thanksgiving Mass and a reception at Guild Hall where the British Prime
Minister was also in attendance.
According to Dr Nonis, the President had also participated in a
reception hosted by him, where 20 UK Members of Parliament had attended.
Dr Nonis described the interaction between the President and UK
Parliamentarians as fruitful.
“This could be considered a substantial advance in UK- Sri Lanka
relations,” he said. According to Dr Nonis, the President had later met
Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma where they discussed
matters pertaining to the next Commonwealth Heads of States Summit to be
held in Sri Lanka.
Sharma had conveyed to the President that Sri Lanka has the option of
selecting the theme for the next Commonwealth Summit and the President’s
preferred theme was ‘Rural Empowerment’, Dr Nonis said.
The President had also attended an event at Marlborough House where
he had engaged with the Queen, and Prince Charles he added. Dr Nonis
also described the discussion between the President and British Premier
Cameron as extremely fruitful and said this could be considered as a
landmark in UK – Sri Lanka relations.
He said the President during his successful visit to UK had attended
six events in three days and met the Queen on three occasions and the
British Premier and 20 UK Parliamentarians.
|