Norway was requested to assist in the government’s continuing humanitarian efforts to bring relief, especially to the people of the North, providing such assistance directly through the government rather than through other organizations.

This request was made in bilateral discussions between Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Norwegian Minister of Environment and International Development Erik Solheim, on the sidelines of the 63rd UN General Assembly sessions in New York yesterday (Monday 22). Mr. Solheim called on the President at his hotel accompanied by Jon Hansen Bauer, Special Envoy associated with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission.

Discussions on current developments in Sri Lanka included President’s approach towards a sustainable peace and the need to eliminate terrorism. It was shown that the government’s current policy mirrored the developments taking place in the East, with the defeat of LTTE terrorism there.

This was seen as a positive step towards the achievement of Sri Lanka’s overall goal of peace and democracy, island wide. It was seen that results of the recent elections to the first ever Eastern Provincial Council was a clear reflection of the endorsement of the government’s policies by the people of the East, their willingness to embrace democracy over terrorism, and a recognition of the de-merger of the Eastern Province from the North.

President Rajapaksa said the Government was now addressing humanitarian issues in the North, and that the LTTE was trying to use civilians as human shields in the areas where it was faced with the advancing Sri Lankan troops, which efforts by the terrorists had to be prevented. It was shown that humanitarian assistance was being extended to the people in the North, with decisions taken at the highest levels of government, to ensure the safety of civilians and adequate provisions for them.

The Sri Lankan delegation at the bi-lateral discussion comprised Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition Nimal Siripala de Silva, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and the Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Palitha Kohona.