Despite announcing a new package loan to Sri Lanka of USD185 million for three projects, the Japanese government Thursday urged the government and the Liberation Tigers to take a more practical approach to the peace process, “rather than tirelessly arguing on a formula or conditions”.
Addressing journalists in Colombo, Japanese Ambassador Akio Suda highlighted the importance of enhanced observance of the ceasefire and said even the Tamil areas, which had been devastated by years of conflict, could be reconstructed in a short period if peace prevailed.
The Ambassador also warned that Sri Lanka should not take hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid for granted and made clear that future aid will depend on the government rectifying policy inconsistencies and reform delays.
He made the observations while detailing Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Sri Lanka.
Japan is by far Sri Lanka’s single biggest aid provider and has been so for many years. Since the 1970s, Japan has been extending financial and technical assistance toward socio-economic development of the tropical island.
Japan was the first of the donor co-chairs backing Sri Lanka’s peace process – Japan, the United States, the European Union and Norway – to individually air an opinion on last week’s Geneva meeting between the government and the Tigers, which the co-chairs welcomed in a joint statement earlier in the week.
“Development and peace-building have to go hand in hand, and the Japanese government remains most willing to support both,” Suda was quoted as saying in a front-page story in a local newspaper.
“A violence free Sri Lanka will invite more development assistance and investment from all over the world, strengthen the financial position of the country and activate further reconstruction in the North and East,” he said.
He also said Japan continued to provide large scale development assistance to Sri Lanka even when the peace process stalled as his government believed the need to develop the whole country never ceased.
The improvement of the socio-economic life of those caught in the conflict would be one of the best advocates of the peace process, he said, ech.
“They (co-chairs) welcome the renewed commitment from the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to respect and uphold the Ceasefire Agreement, as well as the reconfirmation of their commitment to cooperate fully with and respect the rulings of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM),” a statement from the European Union said.
“The co-chairs stress the importance of the parties implementing these commitments on the ground so as to build confidence and a conducive environment for progressing towards lasting peace for all citizens of Sri Lanka,” the statement further said.
Describing as a “constructive approach” the two parties’ request to the Swiss government to host the next round of talks in Geneva from April 19-21, the co-chairs assured they would do their utmost to help the parties along the road of negotiation.
Addressing journalists in Colombo, Japanese Ambassador Akio Suda highlighted the importance of enhanced observance of the ceasefire and said even the Tamil areas, which had been devastated by years of conflict, could be reconstructed in a short period if peace prevailed.
The Ambassador also warned that Sri Lanka should not take hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid for granted and made clear that future aid will depend on the government rectifying policy inconsistencies and reform delays.
He made the observations while detailing Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Sri Lanka.
Japan is by far Sri Lanka’s single biggest aid provider and has been so for many years. Since the 1970s, Japan has been extending financial and technical assistance toward socio-economic development of the tropical island.
Japan was the first of the donor co-chairs backing Sri Lanka’s peace process – Japan, the United States, the European Union and Norway – to individually air an opinion on last week’s Geneva meeting between the government and the Tigers, which the co-chairs welcomed in a joint statement earlier in the week.
“Development and peace-building have to go hand in hand, and the Japanese government remains most willing to support both,” Suda was quoted as saying in a front-page story in a local newspaper.
“A violence free Sri Lanka will invite more development assistance and investment from all over the world, strengthen the financial position of the country and activate further reconstruction in the North and East,” he said.
He also said Japan continued to provide large scale development assistance to Sri Lanka even when the peace process stalled as his government believed the need to develop the whole country never ceased.
The improvement of the socio-economic life of those caught in the conflict would be one of the best advocates of the peace process, he said, ech.
“They (co-chairs) welcome the renewed commitment from the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to respect and uphold the Ceasefire Agreement, as well as the reconfirmation of their commitment to cooperate fully with and respect the rulings of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM),” a statement from the European Union said.
“The co-chairs stress the importance of the parties implementing these commitments on the ground so as to build confidence and a conducive environment for progressing towards lasting peace for all citizens of Sri Lanka,” the statement further said.
Describing as a “constructive approach” the two parties’ request to the Swiss government to host the next round of talks in Geneva from April 19-21, the co-chairs assured they would do their utmost to help the parties along the road of negotiation.
