Russia pledges support for Sri Lanka’s counter-terrorism measures
Colombo, 10 May, (Asiantribune.com): The Government of the Russian Federation strongly supports the efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the island. This pledge was made by the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov to his Sri Lankan counterpart, Rohitha Bogollagama during a telephone discussion between them last Wednesday, (6th May).
Minister Bogollagama, who initiated the telephone call, gave a comprehensive account to the Russian Foreign Minister of the action taken by the Sri Lankan security forces in recent weeks to liberate thousands of civilians entrapped by the LTTE as hostages in the no-fire zone (NFZ).
The LTTE was still holding the remaining civilian population as human shields in a rapidly shrinking strip of land in the NFZ on the north eastern coast of Sri Lanka, near Mullaitivu. The Minister emphasized that the security forces are taking extra-ordinary precautions in their operations to rescue the remaining civilians from LTTE control, in order to avoid causing civilian casualties.
The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister also briefed his Russian counterpart on the massive humanitarian relief effort undertaken by the Government, with the support of the international community to provide the large number of civilians who have escaped from the clutches of the LTTE and come over to the cleared areas, food, temporary accommodation in IDP transit camps and welfare villages, medical and other essential services. The Minister noted that Government is committed to the re-settlement of all the displaced civilians in their original places of habitation, in the shortest possible time, once demining and restoration of basic infrastructure facilities in those areas have been completed. The Russian Minister commended the Sri Lankan Government for the measures it has taken to cater to the needs and welfare of the IDPs.
Both Foreign Ministers exchanged views on some regional and international issues, in the context of their countries’ participation in fora such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the Asia Co-operation Dialogue (ACD). Minister Bogollagama noted that Sri Lanka will be assuming the Chair of the ACD next month and would be hosting the Ministerial Conference in October this year.
He also extended an invitation to the Russian Foreign Minister to visit Sri Lanka, which the latter gladly accepted. Foreign Minister Lavrov is expected to visit Sri Lanka later this year.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
Thank You Russia,
Thank You Russia,
This is the difference between western world and the Russia including China. I hail any country support the government of SriLanka at this crucial stage of eliminating LTTE terrorism from our mother land.
If not for Russia and China,
If not for Russia and China, Sri Lanka's would have been reeling under the "humanitarian" offensive of the former colonial powers, their allies and their local lackeys who were fervently hoping for a R2P intervention.
Thank you Russia. At a time
Thank you Russia. At a time when US, UK, France, Norway and a few others have arrogated to themselves the title International Community (IC) mostly based on the fact the the global television media is controlled by them, countries like Russia and China have shown that they also have a say in world affairs.
It is a pity that a few countries mentioned above are allowed to assume that they can dictate terms to the world and in this context the role played by Russia, China and some of the emerging powers are to be even more appreciated.
Sri Lanka must use more of its diplomatic network to publicise the positive aspects of what our armed forces are doing, saving the hostages alone is something to be bragging about. The Non Aligned Movement is a good forum to air out the GoSL side of the story and one hopes that they will come visit Sri Lanka in a show of solidarity with the GoSL and show to the US and EU that they are not the sole representative of the IC (just as the LTTE claimed that they were the sole representative of the Tamils of Sri Lanka) but that there is indeed a larger IC represented by more balanced thinking and democratic governments elsewhere who knows to respect the sovereignty of other nations.
It is clear that Sri Lanka
It is clear that Sri Lanka has abandoned all democratic norms and virtues and aligned itself with the world's totalitarian block, Russia, China, Pakistan, and Iran. While the new alignment has helped the government to win its military war against the LTTE, it has also aided to negate the peace. When was the last time that any one of these nations encouraged the Sri Lankan state to move towards discovering solutions and building a peaceful society? Sinhalese seem to revel in the fact that these nations provide assistance without any preconditions - a naive belief.
These states which rank as the least democratic nations of the world give a damn about individual freedoms / rights and focused only on their long term geo-political positioning. Their use for Sri Lanka is only motivated by their self interests and long term goals.
Regrettably, it is as if though Lankans have forgotten the era of ‘misery’. It was not too long ago that the Sirimavo Banadaraniake regime had aligned along the Russian-Chinese axis taking the nation down the misery path and stifling its growth by at least one decade. If Lankans truly believe that they would truly be better off with a Russian-Chinese alignment as opposed to the vastly democratic and prosperous alignment with the US-West, then they can soon expect a return of the misery era. It is only a matter of time before the consequences of this new alignment would once again begin to frustrate the freedom loving Sri Lankan people.
Unless someone is still
Unless someone is still living in the 1960's or 70's, it is clear that modern Russia and China and India between them will carry considerable economic clout in the 21st century. Whatever the reasons Russia and China (and Pakistan) may have in supporting Sri Lanka, it is in Sri Lanka's interest to foster such support as a strategy to help India align itself firmly with SL as a friendly nation. Such an outcome will significantly neutralise any hostile intents that Western countries may have had in manipulating the small nation to meet their own strategic and economic (potential oil) interests.
It appears that SLG has learnt the fine art of juggling the various forces in Geopolitics to its own advantage. It has learnt to not make moral posturing which has little meaning when it comes to survival of its sovereignty and future prosperity of its people.
Western Nations indeed take on moral postures not because they have principles (recent double speak is evidence of this) but because such postures meet other more cynical and practical objectives. For their trouble, perhaps they will receive some crumbs.
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