Diplomatic links with 15 African countries:

MEP welcomes govt decision

The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) yesterday said it supports the government decision to establish diplomatic relations with 15 African countries.

The MEP in a release said the party’s central committee which met at the party headquarters on July 17 unanimously agreed to support the government’s decision to establish diplomatic missions in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Central African Republic, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Sierra Leone and Togo in addition to current Sri Lanka missions in Egypt, Kenya, South Africa and Libya in the African continent.

The release added: “By recognising the importance of having closer diplomatic relations with emerging nations of the African continent, the government strongly advocates to strengthen policies and aspirations of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and further to commit in the struggle against imperalism, neo- colinialism, racism and all possible forms of Western hegemony in guise by the so- called ‘international community’ against sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, security and socio-economic development in emerging nations.

“The government’s decision is seen as an important new leaf in foreign relations in parallel to the vision adopted and introduced by the MEP government in 1956, which strengthened our nation over the years, especially in times of difficult. Similarly, we call upon the government to strengthen our relations with new and emerging nations in the Latin American bloc.

“The MEP believes that as a nation, Sri Lanka must affirm the hard work done by Sri Lankan professionals and the business community over the past decades with their immense contribution and participation in socio-economic development in emerging nations of Latin America and Africa.

“The MEP wishes to extend its great honour and salutes the countries which continue to support and strengthen Sri Lanka at all international forums.”