EU Parliament can help Sri Lanka's rebuilding efforts - Deputy Speaker

At the invitation extended by the Delegation for Relations with the Countries of South Asia (DSAS) of the European Parliament, a cross-party delegation from Sri Lanka led by Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody, and comprising Deputy Minister of Economic Development Muthu Sivalingam representing the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Sudath Neranjan Wickremasinghe, MP, of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Eran Wickramaratne, MP of the United National Party and Sunil Handunneththi, MP of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna visited the European Parliament in Brussels recently.

During their five-day official visit from May 27-31, the delegation also held a wide range of discussions with the elected members of the European Parliament and officials of other key EU institutions.

The Head of Mission to the European Union, Ambassador P.M. Amza and the officials of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brussels as well as Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Neil Iddawala associated with the delegation during their meetings.The delegation attended the South Asia Delegation meeting of the EU Parliament. Addressing the elected members of the South Asia Delegation of the European Parliament, officials and diplomatic representatives of the South Asian countries, the Deputy Speaker said, their visit is taking place as an exchange to the two previous visits undertaken by the South Asia Delegation to Sri Lanka in 2011 and 2012 and also as a part of the ongoing dialogue between the two law-making bodies, as well as between Sri Lanka and the European Union.

He explained the post-conflict developments in Sri Lanka during the last four years, which has shown remarkable strides in the resettlement of over 290,000 displaced persons, demining, reconstructing the North and the East as well as in rehabilitating the former combatants and in implementation of the language policy. He also thanked the European Union for the humanitarian and development assistance rendered to Sri Lanka. The members of the Sri Lanka delegation also added their views and engaged in an open dialogue on a variety of issues of mutual interest and concern. Weerakkody, while thanking MEP and Chair of the South Asia Delegation Jean Lambert for their invitation to the Sri Lankan Parliament to visit the EU Parliament said, Sri Lanka welcomes the proposed visit to the island by a similar cross-party delegation from the South Asia Delegation of the European Parliament this year.

The delegation had a fruitful discussion on a range of issues with the "Friends of Sri Lanka Group in the EU Parliament", hosted by MEP, the Chair of the Group Geoffrey Van Orden. The delegation shared their views on recent developments in the country on human rights, rule of law and governance. Van Orden said it is their wish that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) would be a success and that it would help in projecting the country in the correct perspective.

The delegation also had bilateral meetings with MEP and Vice President of the European Parliament, Oldrich Viasak, MEP, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the EU Parliament, Elmar Brock and MEP and Vice Chair of the International Trade Committee Robert Sturdy and President of the EU-Sri Lanka Business Council.

They also had a cordial meeting with Miichele Coninsx, the President of the EUROJUST, an institution based in the Hague. It comprises legal experts including prosecutors, magistrates, police officers from the national legal authorities of each of the 27 EU countries, and is extending judicial cooperation among the Member States in combating trans-border crimes including countering terrorism.