An iter-religious delegation from Sri Lanka is expected to meet with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini when they arrive in Rome in the first week of November.
The Italian Foreign Minister’s decision to meet the inter-religious delegation from Sri Lanka is another step forward towards strengthening the bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and Italy.
According to reports, an inter-religious delegation comprising of Ven. Bellanwila Wimalaratna Nayaka Thero, Chief Incumbent of the Bellanwila Raja Maha Viharaya, Ven. Kamburugamuwe Vajira Thero, Rt. Rev. Malcom Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, Hindu Vidyanith Brahmasri Kuhananda Sarma, Venerator Alhaj Moulavi Viyas Mohamed J.P.- Coordinator of Muslim Affairs to Sri Lanka President and Rev. Fr. Damian Fernando, has planned to travel to Rome, Brussels, Paris and London to meet with the Foreign Ministers of the respective countries, enabling them to persuade the European Union to change its position with regard to the GSP+ concessions coming into consideration by the EU Council in Brussels.
The inter-religious delegation will arrive in Rome on Tuesday 3rd November and will meet with His Eminence Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and the Foreign Ministry of the Holy See.
On the following day, the delegation will have a private audience with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, followed by a meeting with Hon. Franco Frattini, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy.
It must be noted that the Italian Government has voted in favour of the IMF loan granted to Sri Lanka, and has voted in favour of Sri Lanka entering the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and has indicated that it will not vote in favour of a war crimes probe investigation against Sri Lanka.
Hitherto, the Italian Government has been directly involved in banning an LTTE satellite channel, that was to be uploaded in Milan, just a few days after the issue was taken up by Hemantha Warnakulasuriya, Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Rome.
Thereafter, more than 18 LTTE suspects have been arrested and remanded by the Italian police authorities, pending their trial.
- Asian Tribune -
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