Basil appeals for continuous EU support 

Senior Presidential Advisor and Parliamentarian Basil Rajapakse has appealed for continuous European Union support to Sri Lanka. 

Rajapakse who also serves as the chairman of the Northern Task Force for Resettlement, Development and Security, emphasised the need for the EU and the European Parliament to strengthen Sri Lanka in its endeavour to rebuild the country.

Speaking at an inauguration of a photographic exhibition titled ‘Sri Lanka: facets of Post-conflict Development’ in the European Parliament premises in Brussels on Wednesday, the presidential advisor said de-militarisation had been successfully achieved in the north and a lot of democratic activity was taking place in the province.

The exhibition was jointly inaugurated by Rajapakse and Vice-President of the European Parliament Dr. Libor Rouek.

The exhibition was organised by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels, with the sponsorship of Elisabetta Gardini, MEP and the ‘Friends of Sri Lanka’ group in the European Parliament.

During his stay in Brussels, Rajapakse also met  European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner where he briefed the Commissioner in detail regarding the government’s effort to assist and resettle the displaced.

Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner impressed on the need for speedy re-settlement of the displaced and was reportedly supportive of the government’s initiatives relating to the IDP resettlement programme and development priorities in the North. She indicated that the EU would extend greater assistance.