Sweden seeks stronger ties with Sri Lanka

by Shanika SRIYANANDA

The Swedish government is to strengthen its long-standing bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka and support post-conflict development initiatives.

This was reiterated by Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt at a reception held at the Swedish Foreign Ministry for diplomatic missions in Sweden to meet his new Cabinet.

Sri Lankan Ambassador in Sweden Ranjith Jayasooriya, who met the Swedish Premier, told the Sunday Observer that Prime Minister Reinfeldt appreciated the post-conflict initiatives being carried out by the government and said his government would support Sri Lanka's development efforts after the end of the decades-long conflict.

"The Swedish government has provided development assistance to Sri Lanka in various forms during the past 30 years. This will continue to flow under the new government", he said.Ambassador Jayasooriya met several prominent Swedish Cabinet Ministers including Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson, Minister for Employment Hillevi Engstrom, Minister for Integration Erik Ullenhag and Minister for Children and the Elderly Maria Larsson.

Minister Carlsson said they had pledged financial support to Sri Lanka and commended the country's improvement after the conflict.

Referring to a web-based news item stating there were hiccups in the relationship between Sweden and Sri Lanka, Ambassador Jayasooriya said the Swedish Prime Minister's office, immediately denied the news as 'false and fabricated', and issued a statement that 'relations between the two countries are 'excellent' and 'fine'.