The German Federal Foreign Ministry hosted a luncheon at the fashionable “Bocca di Bacco”-restaurant in the centre of Berlin to bid farewell for Ambassador Sarath Kongahage on the conclusion of his tour of duty as Sri Lankan Ambassador for Germany.
Present were among others Mr. Peter Pruegel, Regional Director of the Foreign Office for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Fabian Richter, Desk Officer for Sri Lanka at the Foreign Office, and Mr. Jens Ploetner, former German Ambassador to Sri Lanka and current Head of Office of the Federal Foreign Minister.
As additional guests, the Honorary Consuls for Sri Lanka in Leipzig, Hamburg and Stuttgart, Dr. Dirk Lutz Büscher, Mr. Olav Carl Ellerbrock, Mr. Norbert Quack, Dr. Raffael Gadebusch, Deputy Director of the Dahlem Museum of Asian Art, and Mr. Manfred Möller, former Head of the Sri Lanka Workgroup of the Gymnasium Isernhagen, Hanover attended the luncheon.
Mr. Peter Pruegel, Regional Director of the Foreign Office for Asia and the Pacific in his farewell speech said that ``you have accomplished a great deal in terms of consolidating the multifaceted relations between Sri Lanka and Germany. Your distinguished service has earned respect and admiration in Germany. Your firsthand experience and understanding of Germany would be a valuable asset to both our countries``.
“As far as public diplomacy is concerned, you are a brilliant representative for Sri Lanka, you reached out to almost every state of this country at the time Sri Lanka and Germany were celebrating 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relation between two countries and promoted your country in many aspects, Mr. Pruegel added. “On behalf of Federal Foreign Ministry and the government of Germany, I convey our gratitude to you for having been supportive to bridge the gaps that arose in our relationship.” Mr. Pruegel wished the Ambassador every success and progress on his new assignment as High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to South Africa.
The Ambassador thanked the Foreign Office for the honor bestowed upon him. “I would like to seize this opportunity to extend my gratitude for the support and assistance you accorded me since I took my assignment in Germany. The Federal Foreign Ministry has been supportive in strengthening the bilateral relations. I can proudly say our bilateral relations have entered into a new phase of our cooperation. We could not have achieved all of these, if your Ministry would not have played its part. Collectively we have done a lot to bring our two countries closer together. I am taking along many good memories of your beautiful country,” the Ambassador stated.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Berlin
14th July 2014
