Peiris, Fox discuss Lanka

5 June 2010 11:05 am

Minister of External Affairs Professor G.L. Peiris had discussions on the latest developments in Sri Lanka with Dr. Liam Fox, Secretary of State for Defence in the new British Government of Prime Minister David Cameron.

The meeting took place in Singapore on the sidelines of the Shangr-La Dialogue on critical strategic and policy issues in the region.  Prof. Peiris and Dr. Fox were both participants in the Dialogue, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

This was the first high level contact between President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government and the incoming administration in the United Kingdom.

The two Ministers discussed a wide range of issues relating to the political situation in Sri Lanka and developments in respect of the economy.   Prof. Peiris briefed Dr. Fox fully about the success achieved by the government of Sri Lanka regarding the resettlement of internally displaced persons, the scaling down of Emergency Regulations, the appointment of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, and current initiatives in the field of constitutional reform, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The Minister of External Affairs also briefed Dr. Fox about his recent discussions with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington and Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon in New York. 

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has already met with the members of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, he said.  Prof. Peiris told Dr. Fox: “The Commission is already up and running.   We have not let the grass grow under our feet”.  The Minister explained that the Commission is a home-grown mechanism, sensitive to local aspirations and values, and designed to serve as a practical instrument reinforcing the healing process.

The British Secretary of State for Defence assured Prof. Peiris about the support of the British Government for Sri Lanka’s efforts to rebuild her economy and to move towards lasting peace and reconciliation.