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ADB to combine Govt., LTTE reports for aid
By Chandani Kirinde
As Asian Development Bank President Tadao Chino toured tsunami-devastated areas in Sri Lanka yesterday, the bank announced that it would combine assessment reports submitted by the government and the LTTE in providing funds for the rebuilding of Sri Lanka.

ADB Country Director Alessandro Pio addressing a news conference presided by the bank's president said yesterday that he along with World Bank Country Representative Peter Harold and representatives from the IMF, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had gone to Kilinochchi on Thursday for talks with LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan.

"We are consulting all stakeholders," the visiting ADB President Chino said. Mr. Pio said the LTTE was willing to share information on the kind of assistance the areas under its control needed.

The ADB has made a financial commitment to Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka of US $ 675 million of which US $ 500 million will be in new grants and highly concessional funds and US $ 175 million redirected from ongoing projects and programs.

Of the US $ 175 million, $ 50-60 million is for Sri Lanka. The ADB is also preparing new emergency concessional assistance of between US$ 100-150 million with a grant component, Mr.Chino said.

The ADB President met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama yesterday and he is also scheduled to meet President Kumaratunga. He visited tsunami-devastated areas in Trincomalee and Matara districts yesterday.

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