The
defeat
of
terrorism
in Sri
Lanka
under
the
leadership
of
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa
was both
admirable
and
commendable,
as well
as an
example
to other
countries
facing
this
threat
to
freedom
today,
said the
Bahrain
Prime
Minister
Shaikh
Khalifa
Bin
Salman
Al-Khalifa
at the
meeting
with
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa
at the
Presidential
Secretariat,
today,
July 29.
The
Prime
Minister
of
Bahrain
made
these
observations
when
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa
apprised
him of
the
situation
in Sri
Lanka
after
the
defeat
of
terrorism
and
current
steps
being
taken to
resettle
and
rehabilitate
more
than
280000
persons
internally
displaced
following
the
humanitarian
military
operations
to
defeat
terrorism.
President
Rajapaksa
described
the many
steps
being
taken by
the Sri
Lankan
government,
together
with
United
Nations
and
international
relief
organizations,
to
expedite
the
resettlement
and
rehabilitation
of the
IDPs,
and the
massive
reconstruction
work
involved
in this
process.
He said
the
government
was
working
to a
plan to
resettle
these
people
expeditiously
and also
provide
them
with
suitable
livelihood
opportunities.
The
Prime
Minister
of
Bahrain
appreciated
the work
being
done for
resettlement
of the
IDPs and
the
manner
in which
the
government
of Sri
Lanka
was
proceeding
with
reconstruction
in a
large
area of
the
country,
destroyed
by
terrorism.
He said
that
Bahrain
would
have
discussions
with
other
countries
of the
region
as well
as the
larger
world
community
to keep
them
informed
of the
commendable
work
being
done by
Sri
Lanka
and the
need to
give
assistance
to Sri
Lanka
for this
purpose.
President
Rajapaksa
thanked
the
Government
of
Bahrain
for the
valuable
support
extended
to Sri
Lanka at
the
recent
Special
Session
of the
United
Nations’
Human
Rights
Council
in
Geneva.
He
welcomed
investment
from
Bahrain
in the
Northern
and
Eastern
Provinces
of Sri
Lanka
following
restoration
of peace
in these
regions,
and
looked
forward
to a
high
level
delegation
from
Bahrain
to
explore
investment
opportunities
in Sri
Lanka.
President
Rajapaksa
also
invited
the
Government
of
Bahrain
to
facilitate
the
promotion
of
tourism
to Sri
Lanka,
in view
of Sri
Lanka
being an
attractive
destination
for
tourists.
The Sri
Lankan
President
also
mentioned
the
opportunities
for
Bahrain
investors
to set
up a
large
refinery
and
establish
an oil
storage
facility
consisting
of
100-200
tanks
for
supplying
oil to
Far
East. He
said Sri
Lanka’s
strategic
position
and the
availability
of deep
sea port
facilities
in
Colombo,
Trincomalee
and
Hambantota,
makes it
an ideal
location
for an
oil
refinery/storage
facility.
He
welcomed
financial
assistance
from the
Bahrain
Industrialization
Funds
for
Developing
Countries
to the
Cross
Country
Pipeline
Project
(CCPP)
and
Offshore
Pipeline
Project
under
the
Ceylon
Petroleum
Corporation.
The two
leaders
agreed
on the
importance
of
expanding
bilateral
trade
between
the two
countries.
President
Rajapaksa
thanked
the
Kingdom
of
Bahrain
for
providing
a
productive
environment
for
around
25,000
Sri
Lankan
workers
to work
there
peacefully.
They are
contributing
significantly
to the
economy
of both
of our
countries,
he said.
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