Minister G. L. Peiris, on Friday 2 November, met the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of seventy-six countries accredited to Sri Lanka and operating from New Delhi, at a Reception hosted in his honour by High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam.
Interacting with the envoys, Minister Peiris briefed them at length on developments in Sri Lanka during the post-conflict phase, including resettlement of the internally displaced, demining, rehabilitation of ex-combatants, human rights and related issues, the reconciliation process, as well as rebuilding and infrastructure development.
The Minister said that Sri Lanka welcomed constructive engagement with the international community and that his meeting with the diplomatic community was a manifestation of this approach. He added that Sri Lanka welcomed the support and interest shown by countries involved with Sri Lanka in the post-conflict development process. The Minister informed that 90 member states of the United Nations had spoken at the just concluded Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council, and most of them had been very supportive of the approach taken by Sri Lanka in terms of promotion and protection of human rights in the country.
The Minister highlighted several signal achievements in Sri Lanka this year such as maintaining a high economic growth rate in the country, with the northern province achieving a growth rate of 22 per cent, all internally displaced persons at the conclusion of the conflict being resettled, over 900 Tamil speaking officers being recruited to the Police Force, almost all ex-combatants being rehabilitated and resettled, and the massive infrastructure projects including ports, highways and airports as well as hotels for tourists that were being constructed, with some having reached completion.
The Minister highlighted the fact that the reconciliation process must include restoration of both economic and social wellbeing that would enable affected people to exercise their democratic rights, fully and said that approach of the Government was welcomed by the people on the ground.
He also affirmed that the Government was keen to continue the political reconciliation process through the most democratic means available, and that for this purpose, the Government was keen to work with all parties including the Tamil National Alliance in the Parliamentary Select Committee, as early as possible.
