Helsinki, 22 May, (Asiantribune.con):The Finnish President, Mrs. Tarja Halonen, congratulated Sri Lanka and President Mahinda Rajapaksa for its military success in defeating the LTTE separatist terrorism in the country.
This was conveyed to Ambassador Ranjith Jayasooriya when he met the Finnish President at a dinner in the Presidential Palace in Finland on 19th of May 2009 on the occasion of celebration marking the 200 years anniversary of Finland’s independence from Sweden in 1809.
The Finnish President Halonen expressed her highly concerns of the 275,000 IDP´s in Northern Sri Lanka and requested to expedite their resettlement in a proper way. She said that she hopes to have a long lasting political solution to restore the democracy and the rule of law in the Northern Sri Lanka and said that it was time for Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims to see there was national reconciliation for working towards to create a prosperous Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Jayasooriya congratulated the Finnish President and the people of Finland for the 200 years anniversary day of their independence from Sweden on behalf of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He said that not only the separatist terrorism was completely wiped out after 37 years war but also thousands of hostages were released held forcibly by the LTTE as a human shield by the heroic Sri Lankan Security Forces.
Ambassador Jayasooriya also said that there are thousands of LTTE trained cadres among the IDP´s who have been trained as suicide cadres (child soldiers) forcibly taken from parents by the LTTE and it will take some time to identify them and give them a proper vocational training to fit them in to the society.
Ambassador Jayasooriya also met the Finnish Prime Minister, Mr. Matti Vanhanan, who also congratulated Sri Lanka for its military success against the LTTE separate terrorism. The Prime Minister Vahanen said that the world is looking at Sri Lanka how the Government of Sri Lanka could manage to resettle the IDP´s and how to establish democracy in the Northern Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister further inquired of any political process for the present conflict.
Ambassador Jayasooriya said that the concept of the Government for the Northern Sri Lanka is similar to the concept used in the Eastern Sri Lanka in this regard and said that the Government hopes to resettle the IDP´s by the end of this year. He said that the Government also hopes to restore democracy by holding elections as a first step and work for a long lasting political solution acceptable to all communities in the country. The ambassador also said, that President Mahinda Rajapaksa clearly stated that there are no minorities in Sri Lanka and that all are Srilankans,
During the discussion with the Finnish Prime Minister, Mr. Halonen, Doctor Mr. Arajavia, the spouse of the Finnish President also joined and said that he was born after the civil war in Finland and that he was very well aware about the sufferings people were having after the war. In this context Ambassador Jayasooriya clarified that Sri Lanka had a war against separatist terrorism and not a civil war against Tamils, pointing out that the majority of Tamils are living peacefully in Southern Sri Lanka in Sinhalese areas. He explained that only a few thousand LTTE cadres were causing this disastrous war continuously until it was completely defeated. He also said when the conflict started in 1983, there were 18 Tamil rebel groups and in a few years later the LTTE continued war assassinating political leaders of other rebel groups. He also said that all other groups were engaged in the democratic process either with the government or the opposition in 90’s.
During the visit, Ambasador Jayasooriya also met Mr. Isgo Hamilo,the State Under Secretary of the Prime Minister, Mrs. Ilins Kallko Director General for America and Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the High Official of Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the minister of Education, to improve the relations between the two countries.
In the discussion with the State Under Secretary Hamilo, he said that Finland would like to contribute to the Northern Sri Lanka´s IDP´s in the field of education or health, for which he recommended that Sri Lanka to propose a suitable and concrete project.
On behalf of the Finnish Foreign Ministry’s American and Asian Department, Mrs. Kallko said, the Government of Finland is firmly behind the EU Declaration designed for Sri Lanka of 18th of May 2009 and hoped for an ongoing and long lasting solution on the issues. Mrs. Kallko also reminded that Finland already had supported with 0.5 million Euros to the IDP´s through ICRC and said that it hopes to assist more to the IDP´s in the Northern Province in Sri Lanka.
Mrs. Kallko also said that there is an opportunity for promoting tourism between the two countries and once the situation is calmed down both countries could work out a strategy to improve tourism as before 1983.
Ambassador Jayasooriya thanking for the assistance given by Finland and said regarding tourism, that now when Sri Lanka is free of terrorism, the Finnish citizens easily could travel to Sri Lanka without fear for this Summer vacation. In this context, Ambassador Jayasooriya invited 5 – 6 leading tour guide operators to Sri Lanka to explore the possibilities of promoting tourism between the two countries.
- Asian Tribune -
ibune.con):The Finnish President, Mrs. Tarja Halonen, congratulated Sri Lanka and President Mahinda Rajapaksa for its military success in defeating the LTTE separatist terrorism in the country.
This was conveyed to Ambassador Ranjith Jayasooriya when he met the Finnish President at a dinner in the Presidential Palace in Finland on 19th of May 2009 on the occasion of celebration marking the 200 years anniversary of Finland’s independence from Sweden in 1809.
The Finnish President Halonen expressed her highly concerns of the 275,000 IDP´s in Northern Sri Lanka and requested to expedite their resettlement in a proper way. She said that she hopes to have a long lasting political solution to restore the democracy and the rule of law in the Northern Sri Lanka and said that it was time for Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims to see there was national reconciliation for working towards to create a prosperous Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Jayasooriya congratulated the Finnish President and the people of Finland for the 200 years anniversary day of their independence from Sweden on behalf of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He said that not only the separatist terrorism was completely wiped out after 37 years war but also thousands of hostages were released held forcibly by the LTTE as a human shield by the heroic Sri Lankan Security Forces.
Ambassador Jayasooriya also said that there are thousands of LTTE trained cadres among the IDP´s who have been trained as suicide cadres (child soldiers) forcibly taken from parents by the LTTE and it will take some time to identify them and give them a proper vocational training to fit them in to the society.
Ambassador Jayasooriya also met the Finnish Prime Minister, Mr. Matti Vanhanan, who also congratulated Sri Lanka for its military success against the LTTE separate terrorism. The Prime Minister Vahanen said that the world is looking at Sri Lanka how the Government of Sri Lanka could manage to resettle the IDP´s and how to establish democracy in the Northern Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister further inquired of any political process for the present conflict.
Ambassador Jayasooriya said that the concept of the Government for the Northern Sri Lanka is similar to the concept used in the Eastern Sri Lanka in this regard and said that the Government hopes to resettle the IDP´s by the end of this year. He said that the Government also hopes to restore democracy by holding elections as a first step and work for a long lasting political solution acceptable to all communities in the country. The ambassador also said, that President Mahinda Rajapaksa clearly stated that there are no minorities in Sri Lanka and that all are Srilankans,
During the discussion with the Finnish Prime Minister, Mr. Halonen, Doctor Mr. Arajavia, the spouse of the Finnish President also joined and said that he was born after the civil war in Finland and that he was very well aware about the sufferings people were having after the war. In this context Ambassador Jayasooriya clarified that Sri Lanka had a war against separatist terrorism and not a civil war against Tamils, pointing out that the majority of Tamils are living peacefully in Southern Sri Lanka in Sinhalese areas. He explained that only a few thousand LTTE cadres were causing this disastrous war continuously until it was completely defeated. He also said when the conflict started in 1983, there were 18 Tamil rebel groups and in a few years later the LTTE continued war assassinating political leaders of other rebel groups. He also said that all other groups were engaged in the democratic process either with the government or the opposition in 90’s.
During the visit, Ambasador Jayasooriya also met Mr. Isgo Hamilo,the State Under Secretary of the Prime Minister, Mrs. Ilins Kallko Director General for America and Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the High Official of Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the minister of Education, to improve the relations between the two countries.
In the discussion with the State Under Secretary Hamilo, he said that Finland would like to contribute to the Northern Sri Lanka´s IDP´s in the field of education or health, for which he recommended that Sri Lanka to propose a suitable and concrete project.
On behalf of the Finnish Foreign Ministry’s American and Asian Department, Mrs. Kallko said, the Government of Finland is firmly behind the EU Declaration designed for Sri Lanka of 18th of May 2009 and hoped for an ongoing and long lasting solution on the issues. Mrs. Kallko also reminded that Finland already had supported with 0.5 million Euros to the IDP´s through ICRC and said that it hopes to assist more to the IDP´s in the Northern Province in Sri Lanka.
Mrs. Kallko also said that there is an opportunity for promoting tourism between the two countries and once the situation is calmed down both countries could work out a strategy to improve tourism as before 1983.
Ambassador Jayasooriya thanking for the assistance given by Finland and said regarding tourism, that now when Sri Lanka is free of terrorism, the Finnish citizens easily could travel to Sri Lanka without fear for this Summer vacation. In this context, Ambassador Jayasooriya invited 5 – 6 leading tour guide operators to Sri Lanka to explore the possibilities of promoting tourism between the two countries.
- Asian Tribune -
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