The Palestinian people believed in living in
peace with their neighbours in Israel, and
similarly looked forward to the people of
Sri Lanka living together in peace and
harmony, said President Mahmoud Abbas of the
Palestinian National Authority in a
statement after talks with Sri Lankan
President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo today
(09).
He believed that President Rajapaksa is keen
to achieve peace in Sri Lanka, and works
hard towards achieving that objective, and
admired their efforts that were being made
by him in this regard.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his remarks
said that Sri Lanka liked to assist
Palestinians in their capacity building
efforts, with support to training
its human resources in the fields of
culture, education, science, sports and
tourism.
President Rajapaksa recalled the long
association that Sri Lanka has had with the
Palestinian people, and that he was the
Minister in Attendance when the former
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat visited Sri
Lanka. He said the people of Sri Lanka had
always been supportive of the inalienable
rights of the Palestinian people to their
own sovereign state, and would continue to
support them in all their efforts to achieve
the goal sovereignty.
President Mahmoud said he was glad to be the
Palestinian leader to visit Sri Lanka after
the late Yasser Arafat, and thanked Sri
Lanka for the continued support extended to
the Palestinian cause.
The two leaders exchanged views on matters
of mutual interest especially with regard to
continued solidarity of the Sri Lankan
people with the Palestinian people and
related aspects of cooperation on education,
health services, cultural affairs,
vocational training as well as, tourism
promotion for Sri Lankans in Palestine.
The Palestinian delegation at the bilateral
talks comprised Foreign Minister Mr. Riad
Malki, Former Foreign Minister Mr. Ziad Abu
Amar and Adviser to the President
Mr. Nabil Aburudainah.
Foreign Minister Mr. Rohitha Bogollagama,
Minister of Healthcare Mr. Nimal Siripala de
Silva, Minister of Education Mr. Susil
Premjayantha, Minister of Cultural Affairs
Mr. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Minister of
Construction and Engineering Services Mr.
Rajitha Senaratne, Secretary to the
President Mr. Lalith Weeratunga and
Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Palitha Kohona were in the Sri Lankan
delegation.
Later the two foreign ministers signed a
Framework Agreement on "Technical
Cooperation and Practical Training" between
Sri Lanka and the Palestinian Territory.
Statement by the President Rajapaksa:
Let me take this opportunity to say how
happy we are to welcome President Mahmoud
Abbas of Palestine. It is a great honour for
us.
Excellency, when your late leader Yasser
Arafat came to Sri Lanka I was the Minister
in Attendance. I recall that opportunity
with happiness.
As a former President of Sri Lanka Committee
for Solidarity with Palestine for 28 long
years, I must say that we have had very
cordial bilateral relations with the Arab
World, especially with Palestine. Our
relations with Palestine have been unique.
It is no secret throughout the whole world
that we had consistently supported the
inalienable rights of the Palestinian people
and their right to an Independent Sovereign
State based on the UN Security Council
Resolutions.
Sri Lanka has chaired the UN Committee on
Human Rights of Palestinians for 38 years
continuously. It is a unique record,
especially Sri Lanka being a non-Muslim
country.
We also wish for peace in Palestine for all
its peoples. This has been our wish for a
long time.
I am very happy to state that we like to
assist Palestinians in their capacity
building efforts, with support to training
its human resources in the fields of
culture, education, science, sports and
tourism.
Several of our line Ministries such as
Education, Health Care & Nutrition, Tourism,
Vocational & Technical Training are ready to
undertake this responsibility.
May I now have the pleasure of inviting
President Mahmoud Abbas to say a few words.
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