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Home Media Releases Ministry Media Releases Sri Lanka urges Malaysia to ban the LTTE
Sri Lanka urges Malaysia to ban the LTTE PDF Print E-mail
Friday, 29 May 2009 15:54
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Rohitha Bogollagama, is currently attending the 8th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The Shangri-La Dialogue is a high-profile global conference, primarily focusing on security and security related aspects and is participated by Ministers of Defence, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, military strategists and top brass, academia, diplomatic corps, think-tanks and senior bureaucrats from world over. Sri Lanka is participating at this three day Conference for the 3rd consecutive year. The fundamental objectives of this event are to assess and deliberate on new developments and dynamics in the realm of global and regional security.

Foreign Minister Bogollagama, today, met with the Minister of Defence of Malaysia, Dr Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi Y.B. Dato'Seri on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue. Foreign Minister Bogollagama expressed his best wishes on his recent appointment as the Minister of Defence of Malaysia. Foreign Minister also added that Malaysia is the largest foreign direct investor of Sri Lanka, particularly, with the mega investment in the telecom sector. Minister Bogollagama expounded the recent developments in the military front and the manner in which the military forces of Sri Lanka succeeded in annihilating the terrorist group LTTE from the shores of the country. He further stated that the counter terrorism measures of the Government were most successful.Minister Bogollagama stated that the Sri Lankan military managed to destroy 13 LTTE vessels transporting arms and weapons, thus block the entry of such arms to the country.Minister of Defence of Malaysia also congratulated the Government of this unprecedented feat and stated that it earned the respect of the entire world. Malaysian Defence Minister, with experience of his own country, stated that splinter groups of the LTTE could cause certain difficulties and accentuated the need to address the post-conflict scenario with greater efficacy. Foreign Minister Bogollagama elaborated the measures implemented and executed by the Government with regard to the post-conflict scenario such as rehabilitation, reconciliation and resettlement as well as empowering of the affected people. The Government is currently addressing over 300,000 internally displaced persons. Further, the Government is conducting extensive rehabilitation programs and other legal processes for about 8,000 former LTTE cadres.

Foreign Minister did express deep concern of certain overseas illicit activities such as fund raising, arms trading and human trafficking, political patronage, and dissemination of false propaganda, which could have negative rippling effects on peace and stability of Sri Lanka in particular and the region in general. In this context, the Foreign Minister requested close co-operation and assistance of Malaysia. The Foreign Minister Bogollagama also added that the LTTE has been proscribed in the EU, the UK, Canada, India and the US and requested Malaysia also to seriously consider proscribing the LTTE.

Foreign Minister Bogollagama thanked the Defence Minister of Malaysia for cooperation extended, over the years, with regard to the terrorist conflict. Also, the Minister thanked the Malaysian Defence Minister for the humanitarian assistance extended recently and the support given for Sri Lanka's request for Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) Observer Status and in Human Rights Council. Minister Bogollagama was accompanied by the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore, Additional Secretary and Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Staff of the Army.

High Commission of Sri Lanka
Singapore

29 May, 2009