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Post-conflict agenda should be ‘home-grown and people-based,’ MR tells NAM Summit
View(s):President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned to the country yesterday after attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in the Iranian capital Teheran, where he held talks with his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
During his two-day visit to Iran, President Rajaaksa also held talks with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheik Haseena, and the President of Lebanon Michel Suleiman.
In his address to the 16th NAM Summit, President Mahinda Rajapaksa spoke about the economic and security challenges the world faces, and expressed regret that the Palestine issue remained unresolved after nearly six decades.
“Sri Lanka was fortunate in being able to end the terrorist challenge, largely through its own efforts,” the President said. “I strongly believe that ending a threat of this nature and overcoming the challenges in its aftermath requires a home-grown, people-based approach, as in the case of my country.” The international community should support countries that faced the threat of terrorism, he added.
“There can be no double standards or selective application of standards and principles if we are to eliminate this menace. Non-interference in the internal affairs of states, as clearly reflected in the UN Charter and the principles of NAM, must remain an abiding principle to be followed in spirit and letter,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s economy has grown at more than eight per cent per annum and the levels of inflation, unemployment and poverty have come down dramatically since the war ended, President Rajapaksa said.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
“It is reassuring to note that the impact of the global financial crisis has been minimal in many of our countries in the South due to lessons from previous crises and the sagacity with which we managed our economies. I take modest pride in the fact that Sri Lanka is one of the economies in Asia where impressive successes have been recorded during these turbulent times.”
President Rajapaksa said it was a matter of regret that after more than six decades the Palestinian question remained unresolved. “There is no moral or legal justification for not creating a State for the Palestinians, as envisaged by the United Nations in 1948. We reiterate the realisation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and as a rightful member of the world body without delay.”
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s delegation included Ministers, Professor G. L. Peiris; Nimal Siripala de Silva; Susil Premajayantha and Felix Perera, and Deputy Minister Neomal Perera, Parliamentarian Sajin Vaas Gunawardene and Secretary to the President, Lalith Weeratunga.
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