Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Relations has been drawn to remarks made by Member of Parliament Udaya Gammanpila over media on 3 December 2019 in connection with the reference to Sri Lanka in the election manifesto of the Conservative Party in the run up to the general election in the United Kingdom scheduled for 12 December 2019.

In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Relations wishes to state that a paragraph on page 53 of the Conservative party manifesto which refers to Sri Lanka is worded as follows:

'We will continue to support international initiatives to achieve reconciliation, stability and justice across the world, and in the former conflict zones such as Cyprus, Sri Lanka and the Middle East, where we maintain our support for a two-state solution;'

Following publication of the manifesto, the High Commission of Sri Lanka in the UK in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Relations took immediate steps to make strong representation to the Co-Chair of the Conservative Party The Rt. Hon. James Cleverly with regard to the distortion contained in the manifesto in its reference to Sri Lanka. This was conveyed through letter by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in the UK Manisha Gunasekera on 27 November 2019 addressed to the Co-Chair of the Conservative party.

The High Commissioner affirmed that the reference to Sri Lanka as a country which requires a two-state solution is unacceptable, and has never been the position of any party in the UK. She reaffirmed that successive British Governments led by all parties have always supported peace and reconciliation in a united Sri Lanka. The High Commissioner therefore requested that the paragraph be suitably amended to accurately reflect the Conservative party position on Sri Lanka.  A copy of the letter is annexed herewith for perusal (Annex I)

Subsequent to representation by the High Commissioner through the above submission as well as through outreach to senior representatives of the Conservative party, the Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party Paul Scully issued the following clarification on the subject to the High Commissioner by his email communication of 27 November 2019:

Read more: MEDIA STATEMENT

Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi who arrived in Sri Lanka on a two day visit, called on Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Foreign Ministry on Monday (02/12) and discussed the growing bilateral relations that could be further diversified and developed in the main sectors.

 The visiting Foreign Minister congratulated Minister Gunawardena on his new assignment and stated that Pakistan looks forward with much enthusiasm in working with Sri Lanka and invited the Minister to visit the country in the near future. Minister Qureshi commended the Sri Lankan government of its efforts in eradicating terrorism and defeating the LTTE and thereby restoring peace in the region which was of vital importance.

The Minister emphasized that the two countries having held longstanding trade ties need to reach a higher level of economic cooperation, which at present has not been fully optimised and there is much potential for economic linkages to be strengthened. He highlighted that Sri Lanka is presently not fully utilizing its credit line of USD 200 million with Pakistan and invited Sri Lanka to make use of the opportunity, especially in the animal husbandry area, which would be beneficial for the country. The Minister also informed that both countries must look towards strengthening the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSLFTA) which was the first bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) of Pakistan.

He requested the Foreign Ministry to identify potential areas of trade and investment and plan a programme which would introduce the Sri Lankan business sector to visit Pakistan and form linkages with suitable counterparts in Pakistan. He further commended the Sri Lankan government's efforts in strengthening defence cooperation and looked forward to further intelligence sharing to help each other as committed neighbours.

Minister Gunawardena welcomed his Pakistan counterpart and conveyed Sri Lanka’s sincere appreciation for Pakistan’s partnership in multifaceted cooperation including the steadfast support for the country’s development process. The Minister stated that this visit is the first to be made of a Foreign Minister to Sri Lanka following the formation of the Cabinet, after the election of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Minister Gunawardena informed his counterpart that Sri Lanka is committed to continuing our partnership in all possible areas of cooperation and looked forward to engaging in the fields of tourism and higher education, in addition to the growing bilateral economic partnership.

Minister Qureshi invited a delegation of Buddhist clergy from Sri Lanka to visit Pakistan and witness the beautiful Buddhist religious sites and travel the country in an effort to invigorate the growing cultural relations.

During the visit, Foreign Minister Qureshi also called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Foreign Minister of Pakistan  was accompanied by Director General of South Asia and SAARC of the Pakistan Foreign Ministry Dr . Muhammad Faisal, Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan Tanvir Ahmad, Defence Attache’ Col. Sajjad Ali and Second Secretary of Pakistan High Commission Ayesha Abubakar Fahad.

Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha and senior officials of the Ministry were also present at the meeting.

2 December 2019

State Minister Susil Premajayantha assumed duties as the State Minister of International Cooperation on 28 November 2019 and was received by Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha and other senior officials upon his arrival at the Foreign Ministry in Colombo.

Minister Premajayantha addressing the gathering of senior officials, staff and media at the Ministry, following the assumption of duties, stated that he takes over duties as the State Minister in charge of International Cooperation at a time when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government faces many challenges in addressing prevailing issues in the international sphere. The State Minister reiterated that Sri Lanka will maintain its non-aligned foreign policy and remain an independent and sovereign nation, which maintains friendly relations with all states, especially the regional states and close neighbours with whom Sri Lanka has upheld close and friendly ties over the years.

The State Minister highlighted that he is looking forward to working in close collaboration with Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Foreign Secretary Aryasinha and the officials of the Ministry in achieving the foreign policy objectives of the country under the leadership of President Rajapaksa.

Ministry of Foreign Relations

Colombo

 29 November 2019

The Government of Sri Lanka has taken serious note of the alleged criminal incident concerning a locally recruited staff member of the Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo, on Monday 25 November 2019.

On being informed of the alleged incident yesterday, the Police has taken immediate action to commence an investigation into the matter.

In order to enable the relevant authorities to conduct the investigation smoothly and according to established procedure, the fullest cooperation of the Embassy of Switzerland has been requested.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany who is concurrently accredited to Switzerland, Eng. Karunasena Hettiarachchi will be meeting with the Swiss authorities to provide an update on the investigation, shortly.

The Government of Sri Lanka takes this opportunity to reaffirm unequivocally its commitment to give effect to the obligations undertaken as a State Party to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), to facilitate the smooth functioning of diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

28 November 2019

Promotion of Ceylon Tea was organized by the Office of the Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in New Brunswick at the Diversity Champion Awards ceremony held on 22 November 2019 at the Hilton Trade & Convention Centre in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.

The participation of the Honorary Consul’s office, under the guidance of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Canada was an initiative by Dr Sameera Jayasena, Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in New Brunswick. The promotional event showcased a variety of Ceylon teas to a large gathering.

At this event, Sri Lankan tea products and Ceylon tea hampers were auctioned at a silent auction. Various varieties of Ceylon Tea were introduced and promoted by the staff of the Office of the Honorary Consul which were warmly welcomed and received at the event. The promotion of Ceylon tea was made possible with the support of the Sri Lanka Tea Board.

Read more: Ceylon Tea promoted at the Diversity Champion Awards in New Brunswick

Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardena assumed duties at the Foreign Ministry on Monday 25 November 2019.

Minister Gunawardena was received by Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha and other senior officials upon his arrival at the Ministry. Following religious observances, the Minister officially assumed duties.

Later, the Foreign Minister who addressed the staff, remarked that the Foreign Service is highly regarded. The Minister stressed that the entire country is looking towards the Foreign Ministry to find solutions for external pressures and challenges. Hence, it is necessary for the officers in the Ministry and the network of missions to work dedicatedly towards overcoming these challenges.  He also stated that President Rajapaksa's vision is for Sri Lanka to be safe and secure; leading the country towards a prosperous future. He further stated that in achieving these objectives, a single agency cannot work alone, but must work in unison with other institutions, and hence the role of the Foreign Ministry is vital in this aspect.

Read more: Minister Dinesh Gunawardena calls on Foreign Ministry Officials to rise to new challenges