Global support to combat LTTE terror

Tremendous solidarity with Lanka at Asian Security Summit :

SINGAPORE: Countries attending the Asian Security Summit here have assured increased assistance to Sri Lanka for combating LTTE terrorism, including intelligence sharing.

The Forum attended by defence ministers and military commanders, appreciated the challenge faced by Sri Lanka in countering LTTE terrorism and agreed that they would further strengthen cooperation between their Governments and the Sri Lanka Government, the Foreign Ministry said.

In a meeting with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama briefed him on the current level of security threat posed by the LTTE and the manner in which the Sri Lankan Government proposed to meet this threat. Besides enhancing maritime counter measures, Sri Lanka was also seeking to more effectively counter the recent threat posed due to LTTE air capability, he elaborated.

Following meetings with Indian Defence Minister A. K. Anthony and British Minister for Armed Forces Adam Ingram on Saturday morning, Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and the Sri Lanka delegation held a series of bilateral meetings over the weekend on the sidelines of the Security Summit.

Associated with the Minister were Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Chief of Staff Air Chief Marshall Donald Perera.

In separate meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Cambodia Gen. Tea Banh, Indonesian Defence Minister Prof. Gen. Juwono Sudarsano, Secretary of Defence of Thailand Gen. Winai Pattiyakul, Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army Lt. Gen. Nguyen Duc Soat, and Myanmar's Maung Myint, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the illicit use of the territories of these countries by the LTTE, particularly for purposes of arms smuggling and money laundering, was discussed in detail.

These leaders assured the Foreign Minister that they would be more vigilant and not permit their territories to be used in any manner by the LTTE. In separate meetings with Deputy Chief of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army of China Lt. Gen. Zhen Quinsheng, and Chief of Staff of Pakistan Gen. Ul Haq, Bogollagama briefed them on current security developments in Sri Lanka.

They agreed to enhance cooperation and to share intelligence with a view to defeating terrorism.

In separate meetings with the Head of the Delegation of France, Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Francis Delon, and the Permanent Secretary, British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Sir Peter Ricketts, Foreign Secretary Dr. Kohona discussed Sri Lanka's concerns regarding LTTE fund raising, human smuggling and propaganda operations in those countries, as well as in the broader European context.

The Foreign Secretary appreciated the action taken in France and the UK in recent months to effectively counter LTTE fund raising that takes place through intimidation and extortion. He also explained the political proposals being developed to end the present conflict through the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) process.

Dr. Kohona also met Foreign Secretary of Singapore Peter Ho for a follow up discussion, pursuant to earlier meetings with Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary had with the Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean.

They emphasised the need for particularly greater cooperation between the intelligence services of both countries.

Bogollagama and the delegation also held separate meetings with the former US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and former Minister of State in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and presently Member of Parliament shadow defence secretary Liam Fox.

The Minister appreciated the initiatives taken by Armitage and Fox in seeking to help end the conflict in Sri Lanka.

The delegation briefed them both on current developments in combating LTTE terrorism and in seeking to evolve a lasting political settlement to the present conflict.