4 Thursday 30th November, 2006 Taking Sri Lanka-India relations to greater heights India reiterates commitment to Lanka’s sovereignty and territorial integrity Partnership Agreement, long experience of Minister countries, special projects such as Indian participation in Mukherjee, it would be possible to the expansion of the “Nenasala” infrastructure develop- take the irreversible good rela- programme, the improvements to ment and the expanding of tions between India and Sri Lanka the Dickoya Hospital, provision of IT education in Sri Lanka. to even higher levels of coopera- boats to fishermen and the The meeting with tion. He said that although Sri Mahatma Gandhi scholarships to President Rajapaksa and Lanka was a small neighbour of students in Sri Lanka’s hill coun- Indian External Affairs Indian Minister of External India, there was big potential for try. Minister Pranabh Mukherjee on Affairs that lasted nearly 40 min- the country to be a partner in It is reliably learnt that the Tuesday reiterated India’s com- utes was followed by a bilateral development. Commenting on eco- bilateral discussions also involved mitment to preserving Sri Lanka’s discussion by Sri Lankan officials nomic development, Minister the question of internally dis- sovereignty and territorial integri- led by Foreign Minister Mangala Samarawera said that Sri Lanka placed persons (IDPs), especially ty when he called on Sri Lankan Samaraweera and key Indian offi- gives priority to economic develop- in the East of Sri Lanka. Sri President Mahinda Rajapaksa. cials led by External Affairs ment in the peace process because Lankan officials explained that a It was a friendly and cordial Ministe.r Pranabh Mukherjee. a lasting peace was intertwined proposal by the government to meeting in which the Sri Lankan According to informed sources, with economic progress. establish a special area to accom- President and the Indian Minister at this bilateral discussion, The bilateral discussions cov- modate the IDPs in the East had reaffirmed the friendly ties Minister Pranabh Mukherjee said ered the progress in a number of been turned down by the LTTE, between the two countries. Mr. the good relations between India activities from the latest situation and it wanted to continue to use Mukherjee restated Indian’s com- and Sri Lanka that were taken to regarding the CEPA, which is displaced civilians as human mitment to preserving the sover- new heights by the former foreign expected to be finalized by end shields and that further steps eignty and territorial integrity of Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, January 2007, Indian participation were being taken by the Sri Sri Lanka. There was a frank should be taken to even greater in the construction of the Lankan government to bring exchange of views between the Sri heights of cooperation and under- Southern railway on an Indian relief to these people who were Lankan president and the Indian standing. Minister Mukherjee said line of credit of US$ 100 million; undergoing hardship and arrange- minister on current developments the work on the proposed the negotiations for the construc- ments have been made to take a President Mahinda Rajapakse meets India’s Minister of External Affairs Pranab in Sri Lanka, especially with Comprehensive Economic tion of two coal powered power convoy of 50 trucks with essential Mukherjee in New Delhi on Tuesday. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera regard to the peace process. Other Partnership Agreement (CEPA) projects in Trincomalee with goods to the Vakarai area. subjects taken up were humanitar- was also present was progressing well and that Indian investment, which is in the Ministers Douglas Devananda, (pix Sudath Silva) ian issues, areas of cooperation India was keen to see that both final stages of negotiation, the Rohitha Bogollagama, Janaka between the two countries, with countries benefited from this improvement of civil aviation Bandara Tennekoon, Secretary to General of the Peace Secretariat cials present. special emphasis on the economic agreement. between the two countries, the the Treasury Dr. P. B. and Dr. Rohan Perera, Advisor to Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon, development of Sri Lanka; the Minister Mangala establishment of an IT park in Sri Jayasundera, Secretary Foreign the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Foreign Secretary of India, led the progress of negotiations on the Samaraweera said that Sri Lanka Lanka, the overall Development Affairs H. M. G. S. Palihakkara, were among the Sri Lankan offi- team of key Indian officials. Comprehensive Economic was confident that through the Cooperation between the two Dr. Palitha Kohona, Secretary In Parliament on Tuesday Photojournalist Trade minister claims one person manipulates entire cement market manhandled by Wijitha Nakkawita and market. But the local crop season is now the Government should intervene. by police Lakshmi de Silva over and the current prices of potatoes is 65 He said 15,000 tonnes of food has Free Media Movement Tuesday said Minister for Trade Commerce Consumer Affairs rupees and big onions 50 rupees. The min- been sent to Jaffna though the require- that a group of policemen manhandled and Marketing Development Jeyaraj Fernandopulle istry is taking steps to import these com- ment for a month was around 19,000 a photojournalist attached to Sunday winding up the Committee stage Budget Debate in modities from India and Pakistan to tide tonnes. In the next few days more ships Leader editorial at a Buddhist temple at Parliament yesterday (28) said the Government has over shortages in local production. But will deliver stocks of food to Jaffna and he Weera Mawatha, Depanama, Tuesday. purchased 37,000 tonnes and 180,000 tonnes of funds for this purpose will be needed and sees no problems about food for the peo- According to a FMM spokesman paddy from farmers in the Yala and Maha crop sea- the Treasury will have to release funds and ple of Jaffna after that. attackers removed Asoka Fernando’s sons this year. This was the largest paddy purchase give guarantees for imports he said. He said Sathosa was given to a syn- press accreditation and damaged his made by any Government. He said one person was controlling the dicate of three private sector companies camera worth approximately Rs. He said a trend in the country was that prices of entire cement market in the country and is Jeyaraj and they failed to pay 650 million rupees In Parliament on Wednesday 100,000. Police set upon him as he was essential commodities like rice, onions and potatoes not allowing prices of cement to be brought the amount for the purchase of the CWE covering a protest organized at the tem- go up during November and December. Currently the down. Especially during the tsunami the prices of and they obtained 300 million rupees as an overdraft Department valued it only at 600 million rupees but ple over a recent court ruling. wholesale prices of Samba and Nadu rice per kilo- cement could not be brought down because of this from a bank. But 3000 workers were laid off when the private sector offered 1250 million rupees. The A senior police officer identified by gramme stands at 30-31 rupees and 25- 26 rupees. person. Even when cement was imported from India these companies failed to run the CWE as a profit President directed the NSB to purchase this valuable Fernando as an ASP had seized his White rice is between 20-21 rupees. To arrest the to overcome the high prices he once again got the making establishment. The present Government land within Colombo for 1250 million rupees. press accreditation while two officers of increase of prices Government will release buffer other traders to keep the prices of cement high. started 50 branches of Laksathosa and employed He said the Mahapola Scholarship payment for uni- Maharagama Police grabbed his cam- stocks of rice so that there will be no shortages and Therefore the Government was compelled to name 300 former employees of the CWE. versity students was 2000 rupees per month but it was era. According to him two police con- price increases in the market especially during the cement as an essential consumer commodity to keep Compensation in a sum of 600 million rupees was not sufficient for students with the cost of living high today. stables too attacked him. Police said that they received a com- coming festival season. prices at reasonable levels. paid to those employees who lost their jobs. To find Therefore the Ministry increased it to 2500 rupees and it plaint and have initiated an investiga- The Government also prohibited the imports of Fernandopulle said that he did not believe the the funds for payment the Government had to sell was considering increasing the allowance of 1000 rupees big onions and potatoes in recent months since these Government should not intervene in trade. When the CWE property to the National Savings Bank for 1250 tion. (SF) now paid to students of the technical colleges but addi- crops grown by local farmers were coming into the private sector was trying to increase prices of goods million rupees. The Government Valuation tional funds will have to be found. Project commemorates Lokuge: No purpose in spending money on tourist promotion International Day of the Disabled Anura: Prabha’s message not good for Sri US by Wijitha Nakkawita and revive the declined tourist indus- including the speaker’s position Rajapakse and the work on these projects the value of shares disposed by the Bank Lakshmi de Silva try. The minister cannot be and has a spotlessly clean record of will commence in January 2007, he noted. of Ceylon. I recall Gamini Lokuge’s com- Gamini Lokuge, UNP Colombo District blamed for the collapse of the public service for over three The tourism ministry had made efforts to ments in this regard during the last year opening the committee stage debate in tourist industry.