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| Sunday, 22 December 2002 |
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Minister has successful meetings in Rome Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena had a series of successful meetings during his short official visit to Rome recently. The first such meeting was with the Sri Lankan community in Rome on 15th December. The meeting started with an address by the Minister with a special reference to the ongoing peace process in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankans while commending the steps taken by the government towards achieving long-lasting peace expressed their hope that it would be successful. Among the concerns expressed by the Sri Lankans, suspension of AirLanka flights to Italy and exorbitant charges levied on issuance of passports figured prominently. The Minister while accepting the fact that the existing charges need downward revision, explained to the audience that immediate revision is difficult due to financial hardships faced by the government, as regards AirLanka flights to Italy. The Minister agreed to take up the issue with the appropriate authorities in Sri Lanka on his return. President of the Sri Lanka Association in Rome, Ananda Seneviratne and Mr. Nimal Abeyrama were among the participants at the meeting. The Minister's engagement on 16th December included among others a meeting with Rt. Rev. Dr. Malcom Ranjith, President for Pontifical Mission Societies and Adjurer Secretary of the Vatican and Vice President of the International Fund Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome, Cyril Enweze. Mrs. Ujitha Jayawardena, wife of the Minister, Master Kavinda Jayawardena son and Miss Vindya Jayawardena, daughter, accompanied the Minister to the meeting with His Lordship responding to Dr. Jayawardena's briefing. His Lordship commended premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, for his commitment and dedication towards reaching a negotiated settlement for Sri Lanka's ethnic problem. His Lordship also agreed to consider favourably the Minister's request for financial assistance from the Vatican to rehabilitate Catholic Churches which were damaged in the North and East of Sri Lanka due to the conflict. The necessity to resume AirLankan flights to Italy was also reiterated during the meeting. The most productive meetings during the Minister's official visit were meetings with Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Mr. James T. Morris, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP). Both these officials congratulated Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for his bold decision to go to the negotiation table with the LTTE to achieve an amicable settlement to Sri Lanka's ethnic problem. The Minister will also participate in an Audience at Vatican City and two statues taken to Rome by him will be flown back to Sri Lanka after Papal blessings in the Vatican. The Minister's visit was facilitated by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Italy as well as by the Sri Lankan community in Rome. |
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