President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a discussion with the Norwegian Minister of Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim, reiterated that the Government of Sri Lanka welcomes Norwegian assistance to bring relief to the Northern masses.
The President also said that such initiatives can be successfully implemented through the Government channels direct to the needy since a stabilized mechanism has been put in place to assist the Wanni civilians.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 63rd UN General Assembly sessions in New York yesterday (Monday 22). Mr. Solheim was accompanied by Jon Hansen Bauer, Special Envoy associated with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission.
Discussions on current developments in Sri Lanka included President's approach towards a sustainable peace and the need to eliminate terrorism. It was shown that the Government's current policy mirrored the developments taking place in the East, with the defeat of LTTE terrorism there.
The President brought to notice of the foreign delegates that despite the requests made to the LTTE, the terrorists continue to use civilians as a human shield to prevent Security Forces advancing into enemy-held territory.
The Sri Lankan delegation at the bi-lateral discussion comprised Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition Nimal Siripala de Silva, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and the Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Palitha Kohon
