Government committed to political solution – President  
[Monday, May 21, 2007 - 5.45 GMT] 

Sri Lankan government is committed to finding a political solution and not a military one to the ongoing conflict, President Mahinda Rajapaksa  said in an  exclusive interview with the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), according to The Daily Star, Kuwait Edition.
  
“There is more focused attitude towards achieving peace through negotiation and consensus," since he assumed office, the President told the KUNA. Speaking on the current situation the President said:, "I cannot say that my government is happy with the progress made so far in peace talks (with the LTTE). But we keep trying. My government is open to negotiations. Personally, I am against war and favor peace. However, if LTTE engages in terrorism, my government has the right to take action."

The President also expressed confidence that under the able leadership of the Amir of Kuwait, friendship and cooperation that existed between the two nations would continue to expand, adding that his proposed visit to the Gulf state would further deepen bilateral ties.

The Daily Star report:
  
Sri Lankan President says ties with Kuwait to deepen
Khaled AlÜEnezi and Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, KUNA

NEW DELHI: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse expressed confidence that under the able leadership of the Amir of Kuwait, friendship and cooperation that existed between the two nations would continue to expand, adding that his proposed visit to the Gulf state would further deepen bilateral ties.

In an exclusive interview with Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Friday, the Sri Lankan President said, "Sri Lanka and Kuwait continue to enjoy friendly relations. Both countries are members of the NonÜAligned Movement and share common perceptions on a wide range of important issues."

He recalled how his country supported the entry of Kuwait to the UN in 1963, and then the establishment of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries in 1971.

"During the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, Sri Lanka supported all UN resolutions against the invasion. Sri Lanka was one of the first countries to reopen its embassy in Kuwait after the Gulf War," Rajapakse said.
Moreover, the president said Kuwait was a major destination for Sri Lankan expatriates, with some 200,000 workers there at present, adding that "the presence of so many Sri Lankans in Kuwait itself helps in strengthening the bonds between our two countries. Their contribution to Sri Lanka''s economy is also very important."

To further strengthen bilateral relations, the Sri Lankan president said highÜlevel visits were proposed and agreements on culture and tourism were also being mulled, as well as promoting investments and Sri Lanka as a tourism destination.

Trade promotion was another aspect that was being considered, he said, noting the visit of Kuwait''s commerce minister to his country in January 2007 to promote trade and investment between the two countries. The President''s proposed visit would further strengthen bilateral relations.

"We appreciate the government of Kuwait''s assistance provided for several projects in Sri Lanka under Kuwait Fund for Arabic Economic Development (KFAED). I believe the present level of trade between our countries could be expanded through avenues such as nonÜtraditional exports from Sri Lanka, which will break new grounds in trade relations," Rajapakse said.
The president, expressing his gratitude for Kuwait''s assistance to Sri Lanka following the devastating tsunami in 2004, said that KFAED was engaged in rehabilitation projects of tsunamiÜdamaged educational and administrative institutions at a total administrative cost of 20 million US dollars.

Moreover, he said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the District Secretary of the Ampara and Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) to provide permanent shelter to those displaced by the tsunami and that KRCS had undertaken the construction of 100 housing units for the displaced in the Nintavur Divisional Secretariat Division in the Eastern Ampara District.

"The Sri Lankan government is satisfied that the Kuwait assistance made available to the country has been well utilized," the President said.

On bilateral trade, the president said it had shown considerable increase, where in 2006 the total trade turnover was 21 million US dollars.

Welcoming Kuwaiti investors to Sri Lanka, Rajapakse said, "Kuwaiti investors are welcome to explore the possibility of setting up industries particularly in the fields of agriculture and fisheries.

"In fact cooperation in the fisheries sector would help two our countries to tap the potential in a wider international market. Sri Lanka has the potential to provide skilled and semiÜskilled personnel in IT, accounts and nursing fields in Kuwait.

"Kuwait can also invest in Sri Lanka''s software development and real estate sector for which our Board of Investment offers attractive investment packages through free trade industrial zones."

He said there was also opportunity for Kuwaitis "to support joint venture projects between the governments to set up an oil refinery in Hambantota" and explore the possibility of supplying natural gas and cement for Sri Lanka''s building and construction sectors. On Sri Lanka''s ties with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, President Rajapakse said, "The bonds of friendship and cooperation with the GCC countries have been further strengthened by the invaluable contribution and active participation of Sri Lankan expatriates in the economic and development of these nations."

Moreover, he said successive Sri Lankan governments had supported the Arab cause at various international forums and this in turn cemented "our good ties with the region."

He noted that his country had chaired the UN''s Israeli Practices Committee to look into the grievances of the Arabs in occupied territories, adding, "The yeomen service rendered by this committee has been praised by the international community in general and the Arab community in particular."

The president also pointed out the many agreements signed between his country and GCC member states to promote bilateral trade, as well as those on aviation, avoiding double taxation, tourism, reciprocal customs exemptions, among others.

Free trade and bilateral investment protection agreements are also being considered, he said.
"The creation of joint business councils is also important to enhance trade relations," the president said, inviting GCC businesses to come to his country.

Sri Lanka''s exports to the GCC had increased in 2005 to 209 million US dollars from 167 million dollars in 2004. Imports from GCC to Sri Lanka in 2005 went up to 394 million after having been at 358 million dollars in 2004.
On the Iranian nuclear issue, Rajapakse said, "Sri Lanka encourages all parties concerned to find a solution to Iran''s nuclear issue through diplomatic means with a view to arrive at a long term, nonÜdiscriminatory and just solution acceptable to all the parties, and all the nations."

With regard to nuclear nonÜproliferation, he said Sri Lanka continued to place its trust on international treaty obligations in spheres related to nuclear nonÜproliferation and disarmament.

He added that Sri Lanka believed that nuclear disarmament "is of concern to entire international community and there is an urgent need to renew international cooperation to strengthen the nuclear nonÜproliferation regime and its collective efforts in nuclear disarmament."

The president said that on the Iranian issue in particular, Sri Lanka "maintains that all states party to the nonÜproliferation treaty (NPT), have a right to explore exploit nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, in conformity with the relevant international legal obligations."

Sri Lanka, he said, hoped that the Iran nuclear issue would be resolved through negotiations and dialogue, but said that in the meantime, "the primary responsibility to achieve nuclear disarmament lies with the nuclear weapon states and therefore, we hope that they will pursue these objectives in good faith."
He said his country was "deeply concerned" over the "lack of progress by the nuclear weapon states to accomplish the goal of elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading nuclear disarmament."

Furthermore, he said Sri Lanka, as a member of the conference on disarmament, would "continue to play its role as a moderate country and as a consensusÜbuilder to facilitate the process of achieving nuclear disarmament."

Speaking on terrorism in Sri Lanka, Rajapakse said that since he took over as president, "there is s more focused attitude towards achieving peace through negotiation and consensus."

He explained that within a month of his election, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) escalated attacks on civilians and security forces, but that his government "acted in a manner of restraint" and had given its "pledged" to give highest priority to launching a new peace process.

Rajapakse said, however, "I cannot say that my government is happy with the progress made so far in peace talks (with the LTTE). But we keep trying. My government is open to negotiations. Personally, I am against war and favor peace. However, if LTTE engages in terrorism, my government has the right to take action."

He said he was working on "a roadmap to end violence and achieve peace process" and that the Sri Lankan government is committed to finding a political solution and not a military one."

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Last Updated Date: May 21, 2007 -5.15 GMT