අමාත්‍යාංශයේ මාධ්‍ය නිවේදන

On the invitation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, His Holiness Pope Francis will pay a State Visit to Sri Lanka from 13^th to 15^th January 2015. The Government and people of Sri Lanka are looking forward to warmly welcoming His Holiness and his delegation.

All arrangements for the visit are in place and the required constructions are progressing on schedule including the altar at Galle Face Green where the Special Mass and the canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz, which will take place on Wednesday 14^thJanuary.  

The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith reiterating the confirmation of the Papal visit as scheduled, has also outlined the extensive arrangements underway which will also include a liturgical ceremony at the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu and an inter-faith meeting with leaders of all major religions in Sri Lanka at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. His Holiness will also pray at the Chapel of Our Lady of Lanka in Bolawalana, Negombo.

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The Government of Sri Lanka notes with concern the recent remarks by the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General of the United Nations recalling the Secretary-General’s call to the Government to ensure that the forthcoming Presidential elections are peaceful and inclusive. The Spokesperson’s comments are gratuitous and inappropriate.

Sri Lanka has a vibrant tradition of democratic practice since 1931 and has been conducting elections at regular intervals, in a peaceful and orderly manner, while the electorate has continued to cast their vote freely, in large numbers.

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Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has instructed the Maldivian authorities to handover all Sri Lankan prisoners currently held in Maldives to the Government of Sri Lanka. This gesture was in response to a request made on a humanitarian basis by President Mahinda Rajapaksa during a recent conversation with the President of Maldives.

Fifteen Sri Lankan prisoners are currently serving sentences in Maldives. They had appealed to President Rajapaksa for their transfer to Sri Lanka in order to be close to their families.

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Sri Lanka has a vibrant tradition of democratic practice since 1931 and has been conducting elections at regular intervals, in a peaceful and orderly manner, while the electorate has continued to cast their vote freely, in large numbers.

Domestic elections are not for foreign government representatives to be prescriptive about, that too, a few days ahead of the polls. It is therefore surprising that the EU Heads of Mission in Colombo should have resorted to a press statement on an issue of a strictly domestic nature. Such an initiative could bring into question the bona-fides and objectivity of their intervention.

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On the instructions of His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York successfully negotiated a Resolution which was adopted by consensus on 29^th December 2014, whereby the United Nations General Assembly acknowledged the significance of the Day of Vesak observed in many member countries. It invited the United Nations bodies at Headquarters and other duty stations where observed, to avoid holding meetings on that Day. To this end, the Resolution also encourages this arrangement to be taken into account when formulating future calendars of conferences and meetings.

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Sri Lanka welcomes the announcements made by the leaders of the United States of America and Cuba, of a rapprochement between the two countries, thereby ending decades’ long estrangement and paving the way for the renewal of diplomatic ties. The release and exchange of prisoners is a concrete step towards a new era of US-Cuba relations which marks a turning point in the history of the two nations.

Sri Lanka has consistently called for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba, by the USA, which has caused severe hardship for the people of that country. It is therefore imperative to remove this obstacle to fully restore people to people interaction which will bring renewed prosperity to both nations. Read More

Thirty (30) Sri Lankan fishermen released by the Tamil Nadu State authorities were repatriated to Sri Lanka today (23 December) enabling reunion with their families in time to celebrate Christmas. The Sri Lanka fishermen boarded SLNS Ranagaja at the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and arrive at the Kankasanturai harbour this evening.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa during his discussions in Kathmandu on the sidelines of the 18^th SAARC Summit in November 2014, requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate the release of the Sri Lankan fishermen in custody in the States of Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh.

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