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Lanka for non-aligned policy

26 April 2010 01:03 pm - 18     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Sri Lankan government, under the Mahinda Chintanaya, will follow a foreign policy based on non alignment, newly appointed Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Gitanjana Gunawardena said after assuming duties today.

He recalled the non aligned foreign policy followed by Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) as far back as 1956, when, following the victory of the electoral alliance formed under the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People’s United Front), the country opted for a non aligned foreign policy based on the pancha seela, namely, co-existence, non-aggression, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, respect for each other’s sovereignty, equality and mutual benefit.

Addressing invitees and staff of the Ministry, the Deputy Minister stated he is assuming duties as the Deputy Minister of External Affairs at a momentous time in the history of the country when terrorism has been defeated and the people have given a resounding mandate to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take the country forward towards making Sri Lanka ‘the wonder of Asia’.

The Deputy Minister expressed confidence that together with the new Minister, Prof. G.L. Pieris, the officers and staff of the Ministry and Missions abroad, the External Affairs Ministry would be able to win over the outside world in taking the country towards a prosperous future. (Daily Mirror online)





Gitanjana Gunawardena assuming duties today


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  Comments - 18

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  • Tuesday, 27 April 2010 01:38 AM

    What a magnificient statement!! Sri Lanka has always been "non-alligned" and at present, there is no nation to which Sri Lanka can be alligned!! Our ministers will serve best by not talking about things they know nothing of!!!

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 12:52 PM

    Two clever, decent parliamentarians in the Foreign Ministry will hopefully bring fame and honour to the country

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 09:58 AM

    I thought Government Policy was a collective decision of the Cabinet. Can individual Deputy Ministers decide on Government Policy? Imagine Mervin Silva deciding on Sri Lanka's Media Policy.

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 08:04 AM

    Just as EU !!!

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 06:38 AM

    It's funny how you prefer to not have anything to do with the west and all.... but type in english and use a english or western stage name such as "Drake"... Hussain is quite right in his statement. this is not the 1950, the country can not only sustain on agriculture...

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 05:29 AM

    Non-Alignment is a joke around the world. Every so called non-aligned country is aligned to some group or other. There is no country in the world which is truly non-aligned. The world is so interdependent these days, countries align themselves to others obtain the best benefits.

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 05:19 AM

    Yes Channa you are correct

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 03:27 AM

    Is this something new or did he just find out about it after becoming a deputy minister. Anyway, we all know that Sri Lanka is aligned to the hilt to India and China.

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 02:25 AM

    Battle against terrorism was won thanks to the far-sighted foreign policy of SWRDB, who took the right step to build up diplomatic relationships with China and Russia in early 1950s, when the entire western world did not recognize them at that time. Today things have changed dramatically, what ever said and done the balance of power in geo-politics have shifted towards Asia we need to play our part correctly to the development of the country

    Monday, 26 April 2010 01:55 PM

    but, we should align towards china and india !

    Tuesday, 27 April 2010 12:49 AM

    A very rare combination of gentleman are at the helm at last. Prof Peiris is a British educated Legal Academic and Geethanjana an American educated Engineer. They have clean records as parliamentarians for almost 20years and are from good family backgrounds. Trust their history, they will add some sense of professionalism to the Foreign Ministry

    Monday, 26 April 2010 05:29 PM

    Only in words ... since it calls for 'respect for human rights,' 'equality of races,' 'respect for justice,' and so on ... Do any of the countries in NAM abide by these?

    Monday, 26 April 2010 04:36 PM

    For the sake of saying something, he just said what was available in his vocabulary. You can see next couple of days, all the other 39 odd ministers and their deputies would repeat similar jokes. Let MR fools to celebrate for few weeks until MR starts hitting on their stomack, by sky rocketing prices of essential goods, bus fare and so on.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 04:29 PM

    Way to go SL! We dont need to be aligned with anybody, especially not the western world. @I Hussain - what a lot of rubbish you talk, chintanaya is not old and it is surely not intended to fool anybody.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 03:34 PM

    same old thing in a new silver plate..

    Monday, 26 April 2010 03:27 PM

    This 'chintanaya' is an outdated bogus story brought only to win the elections and fool the MR supporters. SL will never ever prosper with this regime. Non aligned too is an outdated boring organisation, doesnt function at all.

    Monday, 26 April 2010 02:46 PM

    WHAT EXPERIENCE HE HAS GOT ON FOREIGN RELATIONS???????????????????????????/

    Monday, 26 April 2010 02:11 PM

    I thought Sri Lanka already followed a non-aligned foreign policy?!


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