The Iceland President has told the Sri Lankan President that Sri Lanka has achieved remarkable growth since ending the conflict. He said that time is needed to sort the rest of the issues and it is not proper to stipulate a time frame.
Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimson expressed these views to President Rajapaksa during his official tour of the United Arab Emirates at bilateral discussions in the Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi today. Pointing out that he had earlier met President Rajapaksa on two occasion, the Iceland President said he was delight to have met him again.
Noting that ties between the two countries should be further strengthened, the Mr. Grimson proposed to launch joint ventures with Sri Lanka on a commercial footing in the fisheries industry, meat production and fruit cultivation. He said that his country had improved new technological strategies in these fields.
Expressing willingness to firm up bilateral ties, President Rajapaksa clarified to his Iceland counterpart the progress so far achieved by Sri Lanka. All land mines have been removed. 300 thousand civilians have been resettled. 11,000 ex-combatants have been rehabilitated and re-integrated into society.
The President pointed out that about 2000 child soldiers have been returned to their parents. Claiming that a major part of the work had been done to develop highways, health, water supply, electricity and education, the President told his Iceland counterpart that an election had been conducted for the Northern Provincial Council and an opportunity given for the Northerners to elect a group of their choice to rule the Province. But some forces do not see the reality and were exerting an enormous pressure on Sri Lanka.
The President further told his Iceland counterpart that he was capable of surmounting challenges and external pressure was not an obstacle. External Affairs Ministry Monitoring MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena was present on the occasion.
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