Minister Amunugama says Sri Lanka is a trend setter in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Senior Minister of International Monetary Cooperation and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Sarath Amunugama has said in spite of a long drawn out battle against terrorism for nearly three decades, and being further constrained by the 2004 Asian tsunami and the impact of the global recession, Sri Lanka had been a trend setter in integrating Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) effectively in to the national development agenda and ensuring realization of these targets.
Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha has said politically mobilized pro-LTTE diaspora sustain hatred and prevent reconciliation in Sri Lanka and that with groups having such a pre-disposition meaningful engagement was not possible. Noting that the transnational political opportunity structures prevalent in host states help shape and sustain such diaspora activism, he observed that countries which continue to condone with the hostility and disruptive tendencies shown by such pro-LTTE elements are giving a wrong signal.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia told External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris that she is looking forward to attending the Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka, and that Australia will do everything she can to ensure total success of the event. She made this observation at a meeting in the Australian Parliament in Canberra on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris has said that the remnants of the defeated Tamil terrorist organization of Sri Lanka, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is still active in Australia and asked Australia to proscribe the terror outfit.
Sri Lanka has highlighted the importance of education as an essential tool in combating racism and racial discrimination. Intervening during an Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance at the on-going 23rd Session of the Human Rights Council, Assistant Director/Foreign Affairs Mr. Madhuka Wickramarachchi, observed that Sri Lanka’s education system which is founded on the principles of non-discrimination and equal rights for education have contributed positively in strengthening the understanding between different ethnic groups in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha has asked that greater attention be paid in Global Counter Terrorism Strategy, to the role of terrorist support networks that take the form of front organizations, the challenge posed by the abuse of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and the propriety of the use or display of terrorist group emblems, insignia and symbols.