Germany vows to control LTTE fund-raising - Bogollagama

Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama who is on an official visit to Germany met Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Peter Altmaier on Friday.

Minister Bogollagama briefed Altmaier on the current developments in Sri Lanka and the LTTE's international campaign to raise funds and procure arms to continue its terrorist and violent campaign. Minister Bogollagama and Altmaier agreed that Germany and Sri Lanka would cooperate more closely in identifying the sources of terrorist funding and share information on a regular basis through the appropriate channels.

They also discussed the EU ban on terrorist groups including the LTTE and the need to fight terrorism in all its forms. Altmaier said that Germany would continue to take on the challenge of controlling terrorist fund-raising.

Minister Bogollagama's official program in Berlin included meetings with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Parliament Ruprecht Polenz and Chairman of the Economic Cooperation Development Committee Thilo Hoppe. Bogollagama and his delegation were hosted to breakfast by Josef Winkler, Chairman of the South Asia Parliamentary Group of the German Parliament.

Several German Parliamentarians were associated at these meetings. Minister Bogollagama gave a comprehensive briefing to the German Parliamentarians on the peace process and the Government's firm commitment to arrive at a negotiated and sustainable solution to the conflict.

The LTTE's fund-raising and propaganda activities abroad including in Germany and the need to bring pressure on them to give up terrorism and enter the democratic process were emphasized by the Minister. Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohana, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Germany Jayantha Palipane, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the European Union K. J. Weerasinghe and officials of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Berlin accompanied the Minister.