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Japan-Sri Lanka Summit Meeting
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Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda held a meeting with Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, at the Prime Minister's Official Residence.
At the joint press announcement held after the meeting, Prime Minister Fukuda referred to the prospects for the early resolution of ethnic issues, including the issue of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), saying, "President Rajapaksa and I had a frank exchange of opinions on the peace issue in Sri Lanka. At the start of the meeting, I conveyed to President Rajapaksa that Japan and Sri Lanka had enjoyed a long history of friendly relations, and that it was important to realize peace at the earliest date possible, all the more so to further promote investment by Japanese companies and to develop our bilateral relations. I conveyed my earnest hope that President Rajapaksa would exert his strong leadership to resolve the issue through dialogue and to see to it that human rights are duly respected. I also assured President Rajapaksa of Japan's intention to continue providing support for Sri Lanka through the efforts by Mr. Yasushi Akashi, the Representative of the Government of Japan on the Peace Building, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Sri Lanka, among other endeavors." In response, President Rajapaksa explained the efforts toward peace, saying, "The proposal for devolution of power is being finalized, and the intention is to present it to all parties concerned at the earliest date possible." Furthermore, on the economic side, Prime Minister Fukuda proposed to launch a public-private economic forum, an idea which President Rajapaksa welcomed. Related link:
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