අමාත්‍යාංශයේ මාධ්‍ය නිවේදන

The Government of Sri Lanka has noted with concern the decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on 16^th October, to annul the EU regulations proscribing the LTTE. The defendants of this case have been the Council and Commission of the European Union, together with two member states, the Netherlands and the UK.

Expectedly, the ECJ judgment requires in-depth study by all the defendant parties. It is noteworthy that the Court has stressed the annulments to be “on fundamentally procedural grounds” and “do not imply any substantive assessment of the question of the classification of the LTTE as a terrorist group.” Further it is observed from the decision of the ECJ that “the effects of the annulled measures are maintained temporarily in order to ensure the effectiveness of any possible future freezing of funds”.

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Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, called on Mr. Joko Widodo, President-elect of Indonesia, who will be inaugurated as Indonesia’s Head of State on 20^th October.  Minister Peiris conveyed to President-elect Widodo, the warm felicitations and good wishes of President Mahinda Rajapaksa for a happy and successful tenure of the new Presidency.

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Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, held bilateral discussions with Mr. Yun Byung-se, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea on the sidelines of the Democracy  Forum in Bali, Indonesia.

The talks focused on trade and investment, as well as cooperation on political issues and the expansion of employment opportunities for Sri Lankans in the Republic of Korea.

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Professor G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, in his address at the Indian Ocean Rim Association Council of Ministers Meeting in Perth, Western Australia, described IORA as a unique organisation, encompassing nations across three continents, connecting over two and a half billion people and offering many opportunities for collaboration across numerous spheres of shared interest.

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Professor G.L Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, was elected Rapporteur of the Council of Ministers Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association in Perth, Australia.

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Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, held bilateral discussions with Ms. Julie Bishop, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Rim Association Ministerial Meeting in Pert ...

Comments at the daily press briefing of the US Department of State made by its Spokesperson on 2^nd October 2014, with regard to a report from a Sri Lanka newspaper stating that the “US stance on Sri Lanka softens”, have been noted.

In this context, the Ministry of External Affairs wishes to clarify that the Government of Sri Lanka did not issue a press statement or comment on the meeting which took place between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the US Secretary of State John Kerry on the margins of the on-going UNGA. Any reference in the media to the contents of this discussion are of a speculative nature and does not in any way reflect the view of the Government of Sri Lanka. In fact, reference to this meeting has been published in the schedule of State Secretary Kerry, which is in the public domain.

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