Japanese leaders express goodwill and understanding
Japanese leaders, expressing goodwill and understanding, assured Sri
Lanka’s Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G.L.Peiris, at a series of
bilateral meetings in Tokyo that the Sri Lanka- Japan relationship is as
vibrant as ever.
At his meeting with Japan’s Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi, Minister
Peiris surveyed with Ambassador Akashi a variety of ways in which Japan
could be of particular assistance to Sri Lanka at this time in carrying
forward the process of development and reconciliation, currently in
place, after the end of the conflict. Ambassador Akashi, who had been
visiting Sri Lanka from time to time over a long period, expressed his
appreciation of the opportunity for an authoritative briefing on
contemporary developments in the country.
Professor Peiris explained to him the convictions underpinning the
main initiatives by President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government in recent
months and the progress already achieved over the whole spectrum of
issues relating to rehabilitation and reconstruction. He also informed
Ambassador Akashi of the Government’s thinking with regard to
priorities, and the course of action to be followed in the near future.
Akashi stressed Japan’s continuing interest in, and commitment to, the
wellbeing of Sri Lanka, and the availability of Japan’s good offices for
appropriate initiatives by Sri Lanka.
Minister Peiris had discussions in Japan’s Parliament with Mr. Yasuo
Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan. Mr. Fukuda had visited Sri Lanka
to participate with President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the opening of the
Cultural Museum, a gift by the Government of Japan, in Sigiriya and to
preside over the meeting of the Asian Parliamentary Association for
Population and Development in Colombo last year. He asserted Japan’s
strong friendship and goodwill and the readiness of his country to offer
assistance requested by Sri Lanka.
Prof. Peiris addressed, as a keynote speaker, the inaugural session
of the World Ministerial Conference on Disaster Reduction opened by
Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in Sendai, a city devastated by
the tsunami last year.
The Minister also spoke at the prestigious National Press Club of
Japan and led a question and answer session, which followed.
On the previous day, Minister Peiris had bilateral discussions in
Tokyo with Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada, Foreign Minister
Koichiro Gemba and Education, Science and Technology Minister Hirofumi
Hirano.
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