President as ICAPP Chair will send a clear message

by P. Krishnaswamy

The eighth General Assembly of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) in Colombo and the election of President Mahinda Rajapaksa as its Chair will send a clear message to the international community who oppose the Government’s internal reconciliation, Deputy Minister of External Affairs Neomal Perera told a media briefing on Thursday.

This is a landmark event because President Rajapaksa has been elected as Chair of a second international body, followed by his election as Chair of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November last year, Perera said.

Delegates representing over 75 political parties from 33 countries in the region attended the two-day conference under the theme, “Building an Asian Community” and were afforded an opportunity to evaluate the true ground situation relating to democratic governance and human rights, at a time when the focus of the international community is on us over such issues, he said.

The conference in Colombo is also important because countries in the Asian region, with their unique historical and cultural backgrounds are also becoming economically stronger, the Deputy Minister said.

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkoody also addressed the media briefing.