President, champion of peace in S Asia - Swazi King

*‘Reconciliation helping achieve lasting peace’

* ‘Sri Lanka has made steady progress’

Disna MUDALIGE

The efforts by the Sri Lankan government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in uniting the nation towards sustainable development and reconciliation were applauded by Swaziland King Mswati iii.

Speaking at the bilateral meeting at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, the King honoured President Rajapaksa as a champion of peace in the South Asian region.

He praised the manner in which the President successfully put an end to the conflict which had negatively affected the development of the country.

King Mswati iii also observed that Sri Lanka has demonstrated high resilience to economic shocks which paralyzed many economies of the world during the recent fiscal crisis.

“Our country was not spared this crisis and we therefore hope to learn from your experience for the future” he said.

The King also appreciated the spirit of dialogue and peace the government is promoting among people.

He observed with the durable peace in the country, handsome dividends such as better roads, communication and infrastructure and a strong economic development plan are available for the future of the country.

King Mswati (iii) also praised the country’s steady progress towards an industrial economy with significant development in food processing, textile, telecommunication and finance, while production of tea, rubber, coffee and other agricultural commodities remains important.

He also pointed out the importance of laying the foundation for increased trade and investments between the two countries. He invited business people from Sri Lanka to consider Swaziland as their investment destination. He also pledged his support to Sri Lanka in all areas of development, stating that many of those would be initiated after the visit.

He also invited President Rajapaksa to visit Swaziland. President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressing his warm sentiments to the delegation from Swaziland, said that the visit by the king and the delegation would help to establish longstanding bilateral relations between the two countries.

He noted Sri Lanka is now enjoying peace and stability after 30 years of war, while healing the wounds of the past. He stated the LLRC was appointed by him on May 15, 2010 to look into various concerns pertaining to the war.

“As far as Sri Lanka is concerned, our policy in respect of all matters will continue to be guided by the vital interests and well being of the people of our country. It hardly requires emphasis that this cannot yield to any other consideration” the President said. The President expressing his desire to strengthen ties with the Kingdom of Swaziland also reminded that the diplomatic relations between the two countries had a history of 12 years. The President also offered Sri Lanka’s assistance in promoting the education and health sectors in Swaziland.