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| Saturday, 11 September 2004 |
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Akashi optimistic of eternal peace in Sri Lanka from Shirajiv Sirimane reporting in Tokyo The Japanese government's special peace envoy Yasushi Akashi said that he was optimistic that Sri Lanka will soon have eternal peace. Speaking to the Daily News at a luncheon organised by the Sri Lanka Ambassador for a selected Japanese audience of intellectuals and businessmen, he said that he will be visiting Sri Lanka next month again . He said he is hoping to fly to the North and meet LTTE representatives. "I am also meeting government officials," he said. He said this would be his eighth visit to Sri Lanka on the mission of peace. "I am very ambitious and want to see eternal peace to Sri Lanka," he said. Peace talks stalled over one year ago and the government is trying hard to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had taken a very personal interest in finding a permanent solution for the ethic conflict. The President's Office had already announced that the President had met Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for an informal discussion on matters of national interest. The President had explained the Government's proposal for initiating a national Advisory Council for Peace and Reconciliation with the objective of establishing a consultative process, with political parties as well as with religious dignitaries and civil society groups. Akashi said that he was happy with the initiatives taken so far with regard to this issue. He said that though he had visited Sri Lanka many times he had only visited the North East, Anuradhapura, Galle and Hambantota. "I am waiting till peace dawns to tour all over Sri Lanka," he said. Akashi said that he loves Jaffna mangoes, hand-woven fabrics and handicrafts. "I never forget to bring them whenever I visit Sri Lanka," he said. Kadirgamar earlier met Akashi on Wednesday for a one to one dinner and briefed him of the initiatives taken by the Government. "We discussed the issue of peace," he said. Meanwhile Kadirgamar later said his Japanese counterpart had assured the speeding up of the US $ 263. 9 million Japanese Yen loan to Sri Lanka at a discussion with the Governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, (JBIC) Kyosuke Shinoazawa. He told the Daily News yesterday night that the JBIC plays a key role in the Japanese economy and also in the implementation process of loans awarded by the Japanese Government. Kadirgamar said the governor assured that this loan would be released very soon. Shinoazawa also assured that they would provide loans for any Japanese entrepreneur planning to set up business in Sri Lanka. This would be an ideal opportunity for Sri Lankan businessmen to tie up with Japanese businesspersons to set up business in Sri Lanka. Kadirgamar also met President of the Japan International Corporate Agency, Sadako Ogata, one of the most Senior Japanese officers. A former official of the UNHCR she had said more exchange programs should be launched between the two governments. She also endorsed Kadirgamar's idea to promote cultural and intellectual exchanges between the two countries. JAICA has shown its interest in launching new youth training programs and the Foreign Ministry will coordinate with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Finance to forward a proposal to JAICA. Both parties also discussed the importance of formulating a program to iron out unwanted bureaucracy when providing financial assistance. "They want to set up a standard program," the Minister said. "I will coordinate with the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry in this regard." Japan will celebrate 50 years of economic development in the country this year and it was mentioned that the development process commenced with the Colombo Plan. Kadirgamar also called on Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Shoichi Nakagawa. He had indicated that there is a growing demand for Organic products from Sri Lanka. However, any product has to have a Japanese Agriculture Standard Certificate and only a few companies have this. "The Japanese Ministry is ready to help Sri Lankan companies to obtain this certification," he said. The Minister requested Nakagawa to send a study team to Sri Lanka and guide local companies as to how they could obtain this certification. Nakagawa said he would explore the possibility of providing this service through some of the Japanese organistations such as JAICA, already based in Sri Lanka. Kadirgamar said he would also urge the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to follow up on this which would pave the way for more Sri Lankan organic products to come to the lucrative Japanese market. Nakagawa had also endorsed the government's move to uplift the rural economy and the Small and Medium Enterprise sector as well as to assist in the promotion of more cultural and intellectual links between the two countries. The duo also decided to explore the possibility of setting up the first Joint Trade Commission between the two countries. The Minister also called on the leader of the Japanese opposition, Katsuya Okada. "This is a priority on any of my visits and I also make such arrangements when Foreign VIPs visit Sri Lanka," he said. |
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