Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs concludes visit to Hanoi, Viet Nam

February 1, 2016

The Vietnamese hailed the visit of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, especially noting that it is the first high level bilateral visit to Viet Nam since President Maithripala Sirisena assumed office on 8th January 2015.

The visit also coincided with the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) at which, the top leaders to lead the country for the next 05 years were elected. Further, the visit preceded an important period during which Viet Nam signed the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement and Free Trade Agreement with the EU, clearly giving a high leverage for the country over most other developing countries, opening doors to fast track its economy.

During the visit, the Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva called on his counterpart, Mr. Le Hoai Trung, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Do Thang Hai, Vice Minister of Industry and Trade. Meanwhile, Mr. Dang Xuan Quang, Deputy Director General of Foreign Investment Agency, counterpart of the Sri Lanka Board of Investment, called on the Deputy Minister. The Deputy Minister also participated in an event organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Hanoi, to launch the Sri Lanka Business Council in Viet Nam where he addressed top investors, business leaders and professionals. The Deputy Minister also attended the opening ceremony of the Linea Aqua Viet Nam and interacted with the Sri Lankan community in Viet Nam.

The main focus of the discussion between Vice Minister Le Hoai Trung and the Deputy Minister was Viet Nam’s strategy on economic development, sectors for bilateral cooperation, with special emphasis on attracting investment to Sri Lanka.

During the bilateral meeting with the Minister of Industry and Trade, Mr. Do Thang Hai, the focus was on improving bilateral trade in line with the agreement reached at the Sub Committee on Trade held in Colombo in March 2015, that highlighted the strategic location of Sri Lanka, as an important logistical hub for air connectivity and the promotion of tourism, trade and investment.

The Deputy Minister sharing his views emphasized that just as Sri Lanka welcomes businesses to invest in Sri Lanka, it also encourages Sri Lankan companies to take the comparative advantages that are offered elsewhere. Linea Aqua (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary of the MAS Holdings of Sri Lanka, opened a factory just outside Hanoi city, where the Deputy Minister had participated in the inauguration. He welcomed Sri Lankan companies expanding their global footprint and establishing operations overseas.

He noted that currently, Sri Lankan investment in Viet Nam stood at US dollars 76.5 million with 14 projects, while Vietnamese investment in Sri Lanka was one project, yet to operationalize. More and more Vietnamese business ventures could explore the potentials of Sri Lanka’s business and market environment where Vietnamese could approach the huge and ever-growing South Asian market in the threshold of the process of creating knowledge based Social Market Economy built on social justice principles.

“Sri Lanka is developing its economic strategy in line with its strategic location in the Asian Waters (Ocean). The vision of Sri Lanka’s way forward is to develop the logistical hub between Singapore and Dubai in the Asian Waters. Colombo port is one of the busiest ports in the world, can play an important role in this context. The newly established Hambantota Port will also join with the country’s economic and trade strategy and be a vital base of maritime transportation”, Deputy Minister elucidated.

Moderating the Business Event, the Ambassador highlighted that Sri Lanka’s partnership with Vietnam is on the basis of mutual benefit and prosperity. She further emphasized the focus of the new Government’s Foreign Policy to engage all countries, with emphasis on economic diplomacy and the mandate of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs to promote economic diplomacy.

At the Business Event, 11 professionals and leaders of the business community in Viet Nam were identified to serve in the Interim Committee of the Sri Lanka Business Council in Viet Nam. The participants appreciated the role of the Embassy in launching the timely initiative.

Those who attended the Business Event included, Deputy Director General of Foreign Investment Agency Mr. Dang Xuan Quang, Deputy Director General of Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Nguyen Dac Thanh, senior officials of Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency, Petro Viet Nam, Viet Nam Engineering and Agricultural Machinery Corporation, senior officials of Associations representing tea, gem and jewelry, apparel industries, Secretary General of Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce, Executive Vice President of FPT Group, the 3rd largest private company in Viet Nam and other expat business community and professionals including CEOs of top banks.

Embassy of Sri Lanka
Hanoi

30th January 2016

Sri Lanka to open Consulate General Office in Milan, Italy

February 1, 2016

Media Release

Sri Lanka to open Consulate General Office in Milan, Italy

The Government of Sri Lanka has made arrangements to open a Consulate General Office in Milan, Italy with effect from 01st February 2016, to serve the Country’s large expatriate community there. The Sri Lankan community in Milan, is one of the largest in Northern Italy. Milan is Italy’s second leading city with a metropolitan population of 1.3 million and one of the major financial centres in Europe. Milan, is also home to among the largest Consular Corps in the World, with 128 different countries having resident offices.

A Consulate in Milan has been a long felt need for the Sri Lankan community in northern Italy, with previously consular services in Northern Italy being carried out by a mobile consular service by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome. The setting up on a Consulate General office now provides the expatriate members of the Sri Lankan community much needed assistance and services. Accordingly, all requests for Consular Services from those residing in the Regions of Lombardy, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Piedmont, Trentino Alto Adige, Valle d’ Aosta and Veneto in Italy, would be handled by the Consulate General Office in Milan.

Mrs. Pradeepa Saram has been appointed as the Consul General. She is a member of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service batch of 1998 and has served in Sri Lanka missions in the United Arab Emirates, Germany and the United Kingdom and was the former Actg. Director General of the Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry.

• Contact details of the Consulate General

Consulate General of Sri Lanka
Via Francesco Melzi d’Eril, 34,
20154, Milan. Italy

Telephone: +39-02-49536530
Fax: +39-02-49536533
+39-02-49536532 (Consular)
Email: slcg.milan@mfa.gov.lk

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo

30 January 2016

Victorian Parliament Speaker visits Colombo

January 12, 2016

The Speaker of the Victorian Parliament Telmo Languiller who is currently on a visit to Sri Lanka, met Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament Karu Jayasuriya and Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala.

The picture shows Mr, Languillier with the Speaker (4^th from right) and Deputy Speaker (5^th from right). Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dassanayake (4^th from left), Australian Deputy High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Tim Huggins (3^rd from left) and Mr. Susantha Katugampala, lawyer from Australia (extreme right) are also in the picture.

Mr. Languillier also met the Leader of the Opposition and Tamil National Alliance R. Sampanthan.

Photo courtesy: www.ft.lk

Statement made by the President in Parliament on 9 January 2016

January 11, 2016

Pl. click for read in English

Pl. click for read in Sinhala

First anniversary of inauguration in office of the President

January 8, 2016

The first anniversary of the inauguration in office of His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena was celebrated at the High Commission on the morning of 8th January, with the participation of religious dignitaries representing Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Islam faiths, and representatives of Sri Lanka Associations based in Canberra.

The Chief Prelate of the Canberra Buddhist Vihara and religious dignitaries representing the Hindu, Christian and Islam faiths invoked blessings on the President, Government and the people of Sri Lanka, as well as the High Commission staff and Sri Lankan community in Canberra.

In welcoming those present, the High Commissioner said “we come into this world as equals. We leave it as equals. Why then should the interim be treated differently?”

He then quoted Lord Buddha’s saying “Lokah Samathah Sukhina Bhavanthu” and observed that His Excellency the President’s vision for Sri Lanka and all its people was also the same and emphasised our collective responsibility to contribute sincerely and meaningfully towards it.

The religious blessing was followed by the planting of two trees in the Mission premises, to the chanting of pirith.

Statement to Media by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera after official talks with Norway Foreign Minister Børge Brende

January 8, 2016

Statement to the Media by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs
after the Official Talks with Hon. Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 7 January 2016

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen,

It has been an honour and a privilege to welcome the Norwegian Foreign Minister the Hon. Børge Brende to Sri Lanka, this morning. An official visit by a Norwegian Foreign Minister takes place after nearly 11 years. I hope that the very productive meeting we have just concluded will set the tone for this new chapter in our relations.

Your visit, Minister Brende, comes at a very propitious time. As Sri Lankans are preparing to celebrate the first anniversary of the Sirisena Presidency and the new political trajectory that Sri Lanka undertook one year ago.

As Sri Lanka embarks on this new path, we are encouraged that we have been able to gain the support and confidence of the international community after years of censure and isolation. You are coming to Sri Lanka at a time when Sri Lanka is trying to come to terms with its past and to forge ahead. The domestic mechanisms through which we are trying to address this past, are in the process of being developed and the consultation process to design these mechanisms, will begin next week. Also on Saturday a special session of Parliament will form a constitutional council, a committee consisting of the whole Parliament, which will begin the serious business of consulting the people and drafting a new constitution for Sri Lanka that reflects the aspirations of all Sri Lankans.

Economic and Social Development are key priorities of this Government. Minister Brende and I discussed expanding Norwegian development assistance, especially technical assistance for the fisheries sector and solar power generation.

In addition, we explored the possibility of expanding Norwegian investment in Sri Lanka, both through portfolio and foreign direct investment.

I am confident that regular high level interaction at all levels will pave the way for a stronger relationship between Norway and Sri Lanka, which in turn will benefit our countries and our people.

Later today, Minister Brende will call on President Maithripala Sirisena and hold discussions with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

I wish Minister Brende and his delegation a very pleasant stay in Sri Lanka.

Thank you.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo

7th January 2016

Christmas celebrated at the Sri Lanka High Commission in Canberra

December 22, 2015

The Sri Lanka High Commission celebrated Christmas on Friday 18th December with a religious blessing followed by carols sung in Sinhala, Tamil and English. The simple ceremony brought together a considerable number of Sri Lankan Australians despite the holiday season. The religious blessing was conducted by Reverend Dr Brian Douglas of St Paul’s Rectory in Manuka, who highlighted the meaning of Christmas and prayed for reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

High Commissioner Somasundaram Skandakumar emphasised the significance of love, peace and harmony that go hand in hand with the spirit of Christmas, and their relevance to Sri Lanka. The Tamil and Sinhala Christmas carols were performed by members of the two communities while the lyrics were made available to all participants who wished to join in.

During the reception that followed many participants conveyed their appreciation to the High Commission for organising the event, and the active participation by all communities.

Sri Lanka High Commission
Canberra

22 December 2015

First Round of Senior Officials’ Talks between Sri Lanka and Australia concludes in Colombo

December 21, 2015

The First Round of Senior Officials’ Talks between Sri Lanka and Australia was held on 16 December 2015 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo.

The Senior Officials’ Talks between the two countries served as the first formal process to comprehensively review the bilateral relationship spanning over six decades. The talks broadly focused on bilateral trade, investment and economic diplomacy, development partnership, Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process, including regional and multilateral issues. Identifying new areas of cooperation under Australia’s future development assistance priorities for Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Government’s new policies for growth and development, both sides agreed to further build on the added momentum in the bilateral partnership, follow-up on the discussions and regularly review progress.
The next Senior Officials’ Talks will be held in the first quarter of 2017.

The Australian delegation was led by Mr. Ric Wells, Deputy Secretary of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Sri Lanka delegation by Mr. Ranjith Uyangoda, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Australian delegation also included H.E. Ms. Robyn Mudie, Australia’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Mr. Tim Huggins, Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Jonathan Muir, Director (Sri Lanka and Maldives), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and representatives of Austrade. On the Sri Lankan side, representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Higher Education and Highways, Law & Order and Southern Development, Sports, Finance, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, Defense, including the Board of Investment, Sri Lanka Export Development Board, Sri Lanka Tea Board, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, National Livestock Development Board, Department of Commerce, Road Development Authority and Sri Lankan Airlines participated.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo

17 December 2015

Introduction by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera to Speech by Amb. Thomas Shannon at Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute

December 18, 2015

Introduction by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera
to Speech by Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon Jr.
Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute
16 December 2015

Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon Jr.,
Under-Secretary-of-State nominee for Political Affairs

Excellencies,

Executive Director and Members of the Board of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies & Gentlemen,

I have the honour, as Chairman of the Board of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies, to introduce a very special person who is in our midst here today, our guest speaker, Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon Jr.

Ambassador Shannon is the senior-most career United States Foreign Service Officer and just the 14th in history to rise to the role of Under-Secretary-of State for Political Affairs.

In December 2013, Secretary Kerry appointed Ambassador Shannon as Counselor of the Department, only the 7th Foreign Service Officer to hold the position of Counselor since World War II, and the first in 32 years.

From 2003 to 2005, he served as the special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council.

This is just a glimpse of the vast experience that Ambassador Shannon brings to his job. I am sure that to all the staff at the Department of State, it must truly be an inspiration to work with someone so knowledgeable and with such rich and broad experience.

As you all know, this has been a milestone year in US – Sri Lanka relations, and Ambassador Shannon’s visit follows a series of important visits from the US including two members of President Obama’s Cabinet: the Secretary of State, H.E. John Kerry, and Ambassador Samantha Power.

You would recall that Secretary Kerry, during his visit in May this year, announced that the US and Sri Lanka will establish a Partnership Dialogue. At our discussions on Monday evening, Ambassador Shannon and I decided that the Partnership Dialogue will be launched in Washington DC in February 2016. This is a remarkable development in relations between our two countries that will institutionalize the renewal of our centuries-old friendship. And I am happy that our Partnership Dialogue will benefit from Ambassador Shannon’s wisdom and experience.

“The Partnership between Sri Lanka and the United States” is what Ambassador Shannon has chosen as the topic for today.

I know that all of you hear me often almost on a daily basis on television and radio and read what I have said sometimes quoted correctly, and sometimes wrong. I will spare you now from having to listen to me further and invite our guest speaker, Ambassador Thomas Shannon to speak to you on ‘The Partnership between Sri Lanka and the United States’.

I am sure that his thoughts will be a precursor and a guide to broadening and deepening both people-to-people contact and government-to-government relations between our two countries.

Ambassador Shannon, the floor is yours…….

“The Partnership between Sri Lanka and the United States”
Speech byU.S. Under Secretary of State (designate) Amb. Thomas Shannon
atthe Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies.
16 December 2015

Good morning, and to all of you Ayubowan, Vanakkam. Thank you for being here. It’s a tremendous honor and a great pleasure to be here today.

Thank you, Mr. Minister, for your very kind introduction. To be at this respected institute, named in honor of the late and great Lakshman Kadirgamar, and an institute dedicated to the study of Sri Lanka’s strategic interests, is the right place to be today to talk to all of you, about the partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka.

Few understood the strategic interests of Sri Lanka better than Kadirgamar, who was an accomplished international civil servant, and an unparalleled expert on foreign affairs – appointed three times as foreign minister. It has been nearly 10 years since his assassination, but his vision of a united, inclusive, and peaceful Sri Lanka is becoming more real by the day.

Minister Kadirgamar knew it would not be easy. In his own words he said “it’s not a question of pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Peace is not going to be manufactured instantly. Peace is a long road and a hard process.”

But your nation’s journey down that long road is well underway. In January, and again in August, the world witnessed your resolve to move beyond the acrimony of the past and towards a future that is inclusive, peaceful, just, democratic, and prosperous.
Sri Lanka is an example of the power of citizens to reinvigorate their democracy, to retake control – through the ballot box – of their country’s trajectory, and to set a course to a brighter future. We now look to Sri Lanka to also provide inspiration to others around the world, to show them how justice and compassion can overcome a difficult past and help create a stable and prosperous future, and strengthen a nation’s security, prosperity, and prestige.

The United States wants to see a strong Sri Lanka, one that is a leader in the international community, contributing to the global economy, promoting human rights, justice, and democracy abroad, and helping to uphold international law. With its entrepreneurial people, abundant resources, and strategic location, Sri Lanka is uniquely positioned to do so.

Indeed, this beautiful building’s history is itself a reflection of Sri Lanka’s strategic position: before being transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Sri Lankan Navy, it was owned by the British Board of Trade and then housed a branch of the Imperial Lighthouse Service.

And the maritime importance of Sri Lanka, as you know, stretches far back into history. Ships from ancient Greece, Rome, Arabia, and China sailed through Sri Lankan waters and docked at its ports.

Yesterday, I was in Trincomalee and took a tour of Fort Frederick, which the Portuguese built nearly 400 years ago, and which was long a site of strategic rivalry between European powers. The Portuguese soon lost it to the Dutch, and it then changed hands with the French several times before the British captured it in 1795, fortifying and defending it through two World Wars until 1948, the year that Sri Lanka gained independence. Trincomalee is still one of the world’s finest natural deep-water ports, and its beautiful city has tremendous growth potential.

I would add that I also visited the Temple at the top of Fort Fredrick and I was struck by the power of faith and the resilience of faith. One that overcame the years of conquest and subjugation and showed the ability of the Sri Lankan people through its faithfulness. Let me put it this way – it was humbling for me to be in such a place and recognize that a commitment to a faith was at the end of the day able to overcome so many years of conflict.

While I was in Trincomalee, I also toured an ice factory that’s partly funded by USAID, and helps small-scale fisherman preserve their daily catch. But before it had factories to make ice, Sri Lanka had to import it. And, believe it or not, it was in the early 1800s that an entrepreneur from Boston, Massachusetts, started shipping blocks of ice – cut from frozen New England ponds – all the way to Colombo.

In fact, our countries have a long and fruitful history of commercial relations, going back centuries.

As far back as 1789, whaling and merchant ships from the United States began to visit Sri Lankan harbors. By the end of the 19th century, U.S.-Sri Lankan trade ties were thriving: we imported goods like pearls, graphite, and tea, and exported glassware, kerosene, and medicine. Today, the United States is Sri Lanka’s largest single-country market, accounting for over 20 percent of your exports in 2014, worth nearly two and a half billion U.S. dollars.

As I flew into Colombo two days ago, I saw below me the busiest port in South Asia and one of the top 30 in the world – an operation that moves over five million containers every year. And that number, I predict, is only going to go up.

Your nation sits at the crossroads of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. By the middle of this century, economists predict that Asia will account for 50 percent of the world’s GDP. Over the next few decades, the supply and demand generated by the billions of people who call this region home will become increasingly central to the world economy and to global stability. We share your vision of Sri Lanka as a hub for trade and investment, and support this effort through our Indo-Pacific Economic Corridor initiative.

Our wonderful U.S. Ambassador here, my good friend Atul, has recounted to me his amazement at seeing, from the old Dutch fort in Galle, the countless ships that sail past Sri Lanka along the sea lanes between the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca. Forty percent of all seaborne oil passes through the former, and half the world’s merchant fleet capacity sails through the latter. To put it simply, stability and prosperity of the entire world is dependent on the stability of these vital energy and trade routes. And Sri Lanka is at the center of this.

Through your relationships with other nations and active engagement in multilateral organizations, including, for example, the Indian Ocean Rim Association – where, it’s worth noting, Minister Kadirgamar once held a position – you can help lead regional efforts to strengthen economic ties and support maritime security and safety.

In the decades ahead, the economics, politics, and security of the Indian Ocean region will be a central focus of the world. We are hopeful Sri Lanka will continue to contribute to the development of a regional consciousness – one that promotes the values of democratic governance and respect for human rights, freedom of navigation, sustainable development, and environmental stewardship.

You have already accomplished much: ratifying the UN protocol to combat human trafficking, as well as supporting civil society through your voice and vote at the U.N., and, importantly, agreeing to host next year’s Asia-Pacific consultations for the Special Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Commission. By these actions, you have demonstrated a commitment to improving human rights not just within Sri Lanka, but throughout the world.

Your military has also demonstrated regional leadership – you were one of the first nations to arrive in Nepal with critical relief supplies after its terrible earthquake this past April. Members of your Engineering Corps cleared several kilometers of roads, allowing for ambulances and relief materials to reach areas devastated by that disaster.
The need for these efforts will only increase as your region grapples with the impact of climate change and an increase in extreme weather events. The United States looks forward to working with Sri Lanka to help strengthen our abilities to provide humanitarian assistance and respond to natural disasters.

Your armed forces are also stepping up to contribute to global security challenges, sending peacekeepers to some of the world’s toughest spots – including Lebanon, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan. We welcomed President Sirisena’s pledge of several additional vetted battalions at the recent peacekeeping summit of world leaders, and we look forward to working with you to ensure future participation reflects the best of Sri Lanka’s professionalism and honor.

The United States welcomes all of these efforts, and we believe that your armed forces can also play a constructive role in ensuring a bright future. As the resolution that we co-sponsored at the Human Rights Council stated: “a credible accountability process for those most responsible for violations and abuses will safeguard the reputation of those, including within the military, who conducted themselves in an appropriate manner with honor and professionalism.” We strongly support these statements, and are willing partners to help you implement them.

As Secretary Kerry and Ambassador Power both made clear during their visits to your country: we have long worked with Sri Lanka to help it further strengthen democratic institutions, reconcile multi-ethnic and religious communities, and accelerate economic growth.

We are now working to expand trade flows, increase foreign direct investment, and, together, show the world the bright possibilities of Sri Lanka’s future.
We are forging partnerships with the private sector, especially in under-developed regions.

We are supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises in creating jobs, promoting investment, and improving the business climate. Those initiatives help provide the financial assistance, tools, training, and market access that can help bring economic stability to all Sri Lankans, including war widows, the disabled, resettled families, and ex-combatants.
We are working with Sri Lanka’s economic ministries to help ensure competitive and transparent procurement processes.

We are helping to improve law enforcement capabilities and support anti-corruption task forces that seek to uncover and prosecute large-scale financial fraud, breach of trust, misuse of public funds, and money-laundering crimes.
The partnership between Sri Lanka and the United States continues to grow, and with Sri Lanka’s continued progress, we plan to expand and strengthen our relationship in the years to come.

In fact, one big reason I came here this week was to spend some time with my friend, Minister Samaraweera, who, to my great honor, will lead Sri Lanka’s participation for the first U.S.-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue. When we meet for this dialogue in February in Washington, D.C. – and I am sorry about that sir, it is the coldest time of the year – our discussions will be organized around four main pillars.

First – governance, development cooperation, and people-to-people ties. That will include everything from steps on justice and reconciliation to educational exchanges.
Second – economic cooperation, including topics like women’s empowerment, investment climate, and clean energy.

Third – security cooperation, in particular peacekeeping and security-sector reform, to support Sri Lanka’s military preparedness to address current and future challenges.
And fourth – international and regional affairs, including efforts to combat climate change and ensure maritime security.

As we continue planning for this inaugural dialogue, both the Foreign Minister and I will have much more to share with you about the details and what we hope to accomplish.

But as you can see, our partnership spans virtually all fields of endeavor, and the people of both our nations can expect to reap the benefits.
After having seen the tremendous potential of this island nation, I know that the future holds great promise.

The United States will work with you to achieve that promise – we are with you as a fellow democracy, as a longtime friend, and as a strong and dedicated partner.
Across my 31 years in the United States Foreign Service, I have worked in many countries in transition. From Central America, to Colombia to South Africa, I have seen countries grapple, with the kind of conflict Sri Lanka has faced. I have seen these countries grapple with the problems of reconciliation, of transitional justice, of social and economic development.

I can tell you that while Sri Lankans look out into the world and try to find examples or experiences that might be relevant to Sri Lanka, I can assure that your success here will make Sri Lanka a reference point for the rest of the world. And for those countries that are facing conflicts today, in the Middle-East, in Africa and elsewhere, if you get deeper into this century and people look for a model of reconciliation, when people look for hope in dark moments, Sri Lanka will be the point of reference.

What you are dealing with here has global consequence. I recognize that it is important to Sri Lanka, I recognize that it is a work in progress, I recognize that there is much to be done but I can assure you the solidarity of the world with Sri Lanka is strong, the solidarity for the United States with Sri Lanka is strong. We want you to be successful, for your own benefit, for our benefit and for the benefit of the world. So I congratulate you all, I thank you for your patience today and listening to me and I am delighted to be here and I look forward to coming back.

Thank you very much.

Religious Blessing to mark Christmas

December 18, 2015