Sea Tiger HQ vanished in flames; Fighter planes score another triumph

SL Air Force fighter pilots scored another triumph today as they successfully destroyed LTTE's sea tiger headquarters located at Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mulaithiuvu this afternoon.

Air Force sources said a large complex of buildings including a fuel storage, a vehicle maintenance yard and spare parts storage were completely destroyed in an air raid conducted around 1.10p.m. The follow-through reports of the attack indicated that the flame lasted about an hour after the attack, the sources further added.

Meanwhile, the intelligence sources revealed that the target has been accurately identified through timely ground information received form the reliable sources. Though the target was kept under surveillance since long the confirmation has not been acquired until today, the sources said. The quick responding time of the air force and the excellent coordination between the intelligence sources are the key success factors behind this operation, the sources added.

Non Violent Peace Force caught with its pants down - Trincomalee

The security Forces found a hand grenade in a vehicle carrying activist of Non Violent Peace Force, an NGO that claim itself to be promoting peace in the country. The security force personnel made this discovery when they checked the vehicle which was plying towards the Trincomalee town at the roadblock close to the Clock tower this afternoon, Wednesday the 04th of April.

Two suspects who claimed themselves to be members of the Non Violent Peace Force (NVPF) were presently detained by the Trincomalee police.

Further information will follow...

SL President appeals South Asian leaders to combat terrorism

WARM WELCOME Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh welcomes President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 14th SAARC Summit in New Delhi yesterday. Picture by Sudath Silva

SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa appealed South Asian Leaders to boost their fight against terrorism as the very existence of terrorist outfits like LTTE poses severe threat to the whole region.

Speaking at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meeting in New Delhi today, the President pointed out that the recent air raid by the LTTE showed that South Asia is no longer safe from the barbaric the terrorist group.

President Rajapaksa highlighted that the efforts to curb terrorists must be sustained and far reaching and must include their sources of sustenance. ''The regional forum must work together on a counterterrorism strategy embracing the region", he added.

Read the full text of the President's speech below:

Your Excellency, Dr. Manmohan Singh

Chairman of the 14th SAARC Summit

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with a sense of happiness that I am here today to participate in the 14th SAARC Summit. Each of my visits to India has been a special occasion. However, this is very special to me since it is for the first time that I am attending the SAARC Summit as the President of Sri Lanka. I, therefore, take this opportunity to convey my sincere appreciation to the government of India; in particular, to Your Excellency, the Prime Minister of India as well as the people of India for the warm welcome and the generous hospitality that I and my delegation have been accorded and also for the excellent arrangements made for the Summit.

Mr. Chairman, let me congratulate you on your election as the Chairman of the fourteenth SAARC Summit. Your stewardship will no doubt see SAARC meet the challenges of the twenty first century, based on the goals set for the third decade of its journey. Sri Lanka will whole heartedly extend its cooperation and assistance to the Government of India in its position as the new Chair of SAARC.

I take this opportunity to pay my tribute to the outgoing Chair, Bangladesh.

I compliment His Excellency Lyonpo Chenkyab Dorji, Secretary General of SAARC and his team for their commitment.

I also take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to Afghanistan, the most recent addition to SAARC membership.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our region is the proud inheritor of a unique historical tradition. Our common contribution to religion, art, literature, and moral values is second to none. But, today, we are a region of contrasts. There are significant disparities in GDP, income levels, natural resources, populations etc.

Countries, particularly in Europe, have come together to form regional blocks despite major differences in language, culture, religion, income levels and deep seated historical enmities bringing benefits to their people that could not have been possible only a few years ago. I am particularly concerned that SAARC has not realized its enormous potential yet.

I strongly believe that SAARC must become a Union where we will endeavour to achieve our political and economic pursuits. It is also high time that we adopt a single currency, which will enhance the productivity of the region and improve trade without barriers.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

SAARC, as I see, today stands at a critical point. A large majority of our peoples are living in rural environments. We should pause for a moment to ask ourselves, "What have we really done for our rural masses?" Whilst we like to have sprawling cities in our countries, haven't we neglected the majority of our people, the rural poor? The little we have done in our rural areas has been small initiatives. Most villages stand with little or no basic infrastructure.

Our region, home for over one-fifth of the global population, must focus on the livelihoods of most of our people. Let us not forget that the entire SAARC region is still seriously affected by poverty, although during the last two decades, we have concentrated on reducing it. However, for most people in our region life is far from satisfactory. We, as leaders, therefore, have an enormous responsibility on our shoulders to deliver now, and not wait for the future.

We should be able to transform our people to be the producers for the world given the diversity and the rich soils of our region. I request this august forum, to adopt a resolution to work with dedication and commitment to uplift the quality of our people in the rural areas.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am a strong believer of practicality. While endorsing and fully subscribing to the values of SAARC, we badly need to be action-oriented rather than dependent on rhetoric. Merely saying good things about each other and ignoring the reality will take us nowhere. Therefore, all what we have endorsed over the years, must without any further delay, be transformed into action.

Promotion of intra-regional trade is important to realize the goals enshrined in the SAARC Charter to improve the image of the region as viable economic powerhouse. We must have a region-centric approach to make the SAFTA work in a real sense and give it effective force. I believe that a sincere commitment and a strict timetable to implement the SAFTA will lead to whole of South Asia becoming one massive region for enhancement of trade.

Coincidentally, year 2007 has been named the "South Asia Year of Tourism". Tourism is one of the most lucrative trades that has not been fully tapped and developed systematically in our region. Our governments need to find new avenues to develop inter-regional and intra-regional tourism in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner. More intra-regional travel will promote people to people contact we have advocated for so long.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Deviating from economic issues, I wish to touch upon the question of human rights in the region - an issue that is close to my heart and which has been a critical motivating force in my political career. Human rights have been a part and parcel of the great cultural tradition of the sub-continent for millennia. The edicts of Emperor Asoka scattered around the sub-continent are an ample testimony to that.

Guided by the principles of our great religions, we have respected the rights of our fellow human beings, and it has not been necessary for us to wait for the calamity of global wars or the deaths of millions due to misguided philosophies to recognize their value. We, in our region, will continue to protect and advance human rights, including economic rights, despite having to struggle with differences and poverty left behind by centuries of colonial domination.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Speaking of terrorism, no country could sustain itself and flourish without addressing the need to maintain security and no country could afford to limit their resolve to the eradication of terrorism to a mere subset of national security. Terrorism anywhere is terrorism and is a global menace. Unless we act collectively as a region, trans-border terrorist groups will find safe havens in other parts of the region. Modern day terrorists operate in a multi-dimensional fashion. They operate politically, militarily, financially and ideologically.

Therefore, our effort to curb this menace should also be multi-pronged and sustained and far reaching, and must include their sources of sustenance. The recent air attack at Katunayake by the LTTE must attract attention of all of us to the fact that our region as a whole is not safe from the barbaric terrorist groups. I wish to appeal therefore to this august forum to work jointly on a counter terrorism strategy for our entire region, to defeat terrorism.

My government has placed great emphasis on eradicating terrorism and making Sri Lanka a safe place for our people. It is not lost on us, however, that terrorism, whilst needs to be suppressed, also has to be grappled with, on a political platform. Mr. Chairman, I am very much in agreement with your proposal to establish a South Asian university. This university need not be confined to one country. We need to ensure that leaning is borderless and that any student in any of our countries could benefit out of this unique initiative.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The time has come to move away from 'fancy rhetoric' and give way for action and relentless effort in our resolve to achieve the collective aspirations of all of us.

In conclusion, may I therefore be permitted to quote a great son of the region, Emperor Asoka, "May my sons, grandsons, and great grandsons strive for the welfare of all mankind. But this is difficult without great and sincere effort".

May the Noble Triple Gem Bless you all!

EU actively implementing LTTE ban - Defence Spokesman

The arrest of six LTTE activists in Paris was a clear indication that the European Union is turning the LTTE proscription into action without confining it into mere words, Government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

"The EU has proved that it is not for the sake of a ban they have proscribe the LTTE, they have activated it," Minister Rambukwella pointed out.

The Minister said never in history had this type of arrest taken place in Paris, considered a haven for Tiger activities.

The French Counter Terrorism Sub Directorate has conducted series of raids on three LTTE organisation in Paris and arrested 17 Tiger activists.

They had raided the offices of Comite' de Coordination Tamoul France (CCTF), the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation and Makkal Kadai and arrested 17 Tiger activists.

The Minister said though it was not apparent the EU was taking many measures to curb Tiger activities in EU countries following the proscription.

Courtesy - Daily News

Despite attempted antagonism against Sri Lanka by the LTTE Kind Tamil Nadu fishermen rescued six Sinhalese fishermen

Despite the attempted antagonism by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) against Sri Lanka's Navy and the country among the Tamil Nadu fishermen, they returned the kindness shown to them by the Sri Lanka Navy on previous occasions and rescued six Sinhalese fishermen drifting in the Bay of Bengal in a failed mechanized boat.

The six Sinhalese were found drifting on a non-working fishing boat named, "Kaveesha Putha-Kottegoda" in the Bay of Bengal about four kilometers off from Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore coast and happily rescued by the Thevanampattinam fishermen, during the night of Sunday April 1.

The Trincomalee based Southern fishermen went to the deep seas three days before they were rescued, but got stuck when the engine of the boat failed in the mid sea. First they hoisted a white flag. Using the little English they learned in the elementary school on a thermocol sheet using black sticker they made a sign that said, "Help pleis" and put it up for people to see. In addition they waved at the local fishermen who finally rescued them.

On Monday authorities gave permission to berth their boat on which it was inscribed "Sri Lanka TR 743, Ceylon Fishing Harbour Corporation-IMUL-A-0565 MTR," to be berthed at the Cuddalore Port.

But the Sinhalese fishermen, J.Nizath Chamira (17), H.W.Kasun Rasange (21), Anathuge Rajesh Thusani (29), G.M.W.Dhanisth Mandarae (22), Sameera Rangei (20), and M.M.Amila Manoj Prasad (21), had to be taken to the Cuddalore Port Police station for interrogation. The Police questioned them. They also went through everything they had in the boat. But they said the Tamil Nadu fishermen were simply astounded by the five kilometer fishing net they possessed and the boat's capacity to carry 4000 kilograms of ice blocks. True they had to be booked for entering the country without valid papers. But the Police said they did no wrong since their boat lost direction due to mechanical failure. So, most probably the young daring fishermen will be coming home very soon with kind memories of the Tamil Nadu fishermen who rescued them and saved their lives.

It was certainly good karma working for the Sinhalese fishermen. On many times before the Sri Lanka Navy has helped Tamil Nadu fishermen in distress. Assistance given to the Indian fishing trawler RMS 94 on October 24 2006 off karainagar and assistance given to Indian fishing boat in distress off Thondamannar on 24 November 2006 were only two such recent incidents. Even in this space age the old karma still works like a clock of precision, they say.

Military says 23 Tamil rebels killed in clash in eastern Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Government soldiers killed 23 separatist Tamil rebels during a fierce clash in eastern Sri Lanka as the army attempted to regain control of the area, the military said Tuesday.

The battle erupted late Monday while the soldiers were on an operation in the village of Unnichchai in the eastern Batticaloa district, military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said.

The military has launched several attacks in recent weeks to capture rebel bases and regain control of the east of the island, part of the area the rebels claim for an independent homeland.

The military recovered 10 bodies of rebels and was preparing to hand them over to the guerrillas through the International Committee of the Red Cross, Samarasinghe said, adding that two soldiers were wounded in the clash.

Also on Tuesday, police commandoes shot and killed two rebels who attacked a police check point in the eastern town of Kalmunai, said Lt. Col. Upali Rajapakse of the Defense Ministry. One police officer was killed in the attack.

Separately, in the northern Vavuniya district, army troops killed two insurgents Monday evening, said Rajapakse, adding that assault rifles, detonators and a radio set were found with the bodies.

Rebel officials could not be reached for comment.

Heavy violence in recent days has included the rebels' first air raid, a naval battle, a suicide bombing, government airstrikes and a bomb blast on a bus that killed 16 people and wounded 25, as the tropical island edges toward a resumption of full-scale civil war.

The victims of the bus blast near the eastern town of Ampara on Monday were mostly from the country's Sinhalese ethnic majority, Samarasinghe said, blaming the Tamil rebels for the attack.

A Tamil Tiger spokesman, Rasiah Ilanthirayan, denied their involvement and condemned the killing of innocent civilians.

"We believe that this was carried out by forces who are opposed to us to create a bad name for us when the SAARC meeting is being held in India," he said.

Leaders of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation, or SAARC, are meeting in India this week. The group consists of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The Red Cross on Tuesday condemned the killing of civilians.

"The ICRC is deeply concerned about the rising number of civilians being injured or killed as a result of deliberate attacks in Sri Lanka's escalating violence," Toon Vandenhove, the ICRC's head in Colombo said in statement.

"In recent months, men, women and children taking no part whatever in the hostilities have been the victims of shells and bombs."

The rebels have generally targeted the military in recent years, including stepped-up attacks on government forces at sea. Last week the Tamil Tigers launched their first-ever airstrike, bombing an air force base on the outskirts of the capital.

Tamil rebels have fought the government since 1983 to create an independent homeland for the country's 3.1 million Tamil minority after decades of discrimination.

A Norwegian-brokered cease-fire signed in 2002 temporarily ended more than two decades of fighting. More than 4,000 people have been killed since violence flared again in late 2005, though both sides still claim to abide by the agreement.

At least 65,000 people were killed before the cease-fire.

Indian PM announces unilateral liberalization of visas through the region

Apr 03, Colombo: To ascertain freer and easier travel within the South Asian region, India is announcing a unilateral liberalization of visas for students, teachers, professors, journalists and patients from SAARC countries, said the Indian Prime Minister in his speech inaugurating the 14th SAARC summit in New Delhi.

Singh also proposed that efforts be made to link all capitals of SAARC member countries through direct flights. “As an immediate step, I propose that we link all our capitals through direct flights,” he said.

Indian Prime Minister called for more efforts to double the intra-SAARC flow of tourists in the next five years.

Sri Lankan Army Seizes Four Tamil Tiger Bases

April 3, 2007 1:59 p.m. EST

Ihuoma Ezeh - All Headline News

Colombo, Sri Lanka (AHN) - The Sri Lankan army stormed four Tamil Tiger bases, killing 23 rebels and injuring several others in the district of Batticaloa, according to military spokesman Brig Prasad Samarasinghe.

The army captured four bases in Batticaloa after it blamed the Tigers for a deadly bomb attack on a civilian bus in Ampara district, where at least 16 people were killed.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the Tigers in the north of Trincomalee fled after the army launched a 48-hour humanitarian operation, which ended successfully.

"The Army troops have started consolidating in the captured areas and have recovered a large number of warlike items and equipment left by the Tigers on the run," the Defense Ministry statement read.

On Monday, Tigers flew single-engine planes over the main military air base adjacent to Sri Lanka's only international airport and dropped bombs, killing three airmen in the group's first-ever air raid.

More than 60,000 people have been killed in Sri Lanka's Tamil separatist campaign since 1972. The two sides agreed to a truce in February 2002, but subsequent peace talks have broken down.

About 4,000 people have been killed in the uprising since 2005 and thousands others displaced.

Saudi to build a model city in Sri Lanka

Apr 03, Colombo: The Saudi Arabian Government has agreed to construct a fully equipped model city in the name of King Abdulla in Akkaraipaththu for the tsunami affected people in the Ampara district.

"King Abdullah Model City" which is to be built in a 60-acre government-owned land will comprise 500 houses, two mosques, 30 feet inner road, a hospital, a school, a community welfare centre and 30 shops.

Housing and Common Amenities Minister Mrs. Fariel Ashroff made a request in this regard from the Saudi government when she visited that country recently.

Capital, Great Portland in London property venture

30 March 2007

By Nick Wilson

UK property company Liberty International's subsidiary, Capital & Counties, said on Thursday it was in a joint venture with London-based Great Portland Estates to own, manage and develop central London properties in a deal initially worth #460m.

The venture will see the formation of The Great Capital Partnership, will have a starting value of #460m and consist of more than 80000m? of property space.

This is the second major deal announced by Capital & Counties this week, as it has also acquired the retail part of the Royal Opera House block in London?s Covent Garden for #126,5m to give it "full control" of the retail frontages to the market area.

Capital & Counties owns more than 30 properties in the popular Covent Garden retail precinct.

Capital & Counties executive director Gary Marcuccilli said on Thursday that the rationale for the deal with Great Portland Estates was that it was a specialist central London property company.

"The rationale for doing the deal from our side is to tap into their asset management and development skills," he said.

Liberty International, which has a significant South African shareholding, has a joint listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and JSE.

Its market capitalisation is more than #4bn.

Great Portland Estates, which is listed on the LSE, has a market capitalisation of about #1,1bn.

Marcuccilli said Capital & Counties and Great Portland Estates were looking to work together to grow the #460m property portfolio by acquiring new opportunities, in both the development and investment arenas.

Capital & Counties will bring properties worth about #299m to The Great Capital Partnership.

"It's virtually all our central London properties outside Covent Garden," said Marcuccilli.

He said Great Portland Estates was bringing properties worth about #162m to the joint venture.

Great Portland Estates would also pay Capital & Counties #68m in cash, "so that we end up with a 50-50 jointly owned vehicle", Marcuccilli said.

He said it was a relatively small joint venture in terms of the size of Liberty International.

"We hope it's a mechanism to growing our presence in central London," Marcuccilli said.

Capital & Counties MD Ian Hawksworth said the venture would enable the company to "increase our involvement in London".

It was "complimentary to our significant and expanding wholly owned activities in Covent Garden", Hawksworth said.

Business Day . Barbican property Clerkenwell property

"We need international support to isolate the LTTE..." - Bogollagama

Britain and Iran should be able to end the stand-off over the capture of 15 Royal Navy personnel by negotiating, a senior Tehran official has said.

Ali Larijani, of the Supreme National Security Council, told state radio the issue would be resolved if the two countries "continue this path".

The UK Foreign Office said talks were continuing with a "more positive feel".

Iran accuses the crew of straying into its waters on 23 March. The British insist they were in Iraqi territory.

Mr Larijani, who is Iran's chief nuclear negotiator and head of the powerful security council, hinted that fresh talks between his country and Britain had opened on Friday.

He told Iranian state radio: "The British government has started some diplomatic talks with the Iranian Foreign Ministry. They are only at the beginning.

Arthur Batchelor was among those shown in the latest Iranian footage

"If they continue this path they can change the situation logically... in such a way that the issue is resolved."

But UK officials later said that no new negotiations had begun - although talks had been continuing since the sailors and marines were captured.

Mr Larijani has previously said he was committed to solving the crisis through diplomacy, and that putting the crew on trial was "not a priority".

But he insisted in an interview with Channel 4 News on Monday he was "100%" sure that the navy crew had been in Iranian waters when they were picked up in the northern Gulf on 23 March.

"A guarantee must be given that such violations will not be repeated," he said.

The UK insists they were in Iraqi waters after returning from searching a merchant vessel.

Sri Lanka FM says government will make Tigers stakeholders in the peace process

"We need international support to isolate the LTTE..." - Bogollagama

Apr 02, New Delhi: Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said today that his government will involve the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a stakeholder in the stalled peace talks and urged the SAARC nations and the international community to force the LTTE to come for negotiations by restricting their flow of funds.

"We will include the LTTE in a negotiated settlement," Foreign Minister who is attending the two-day 14th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit told the reporters in New Delhi today.

Minister told that the ruling party’s proposals on power devolution will be submitted this month and a devolution package for Tamil speaking areas would be announced in the next eight weeks to pave the way for a negotiated settlement of the ethnic conflict.

Foreign Minister said that the ceasefire was still in place despite repeated attacks by the LTTE including the violation of Sri Lanka air space by attacking the Katunayake Air Force base last month. He said his government does not treat such incidents as ''war'' but more as terrorism.

Bogollagama urged the SAARC nations and the international community to cut off the funding for LTTE’s armed struggle. "We need international support to isolate the LTTE and force it to resume the peace talks with the government,” he said.

Responding to a question regarding the differences in the approach to the problem by India and Sri Lanka, the Minister said that both governments are united in dealing with terrorism and India has supported the Sri Lankan endeavour to find a negotiated settlement.

Heads of states from eight South Asian nations - Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will meet for two days from tomorrow. The fight against terrorism will be a key issue to be taken up at the summit.

Presidents of Sri Lanka, Maldives meet in India

Apr 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom this evening in New Delhi.

The two leaders are in India to attend the 14th Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, and Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona are also in the picture.

Tigers blast a civilian bus in Sri Lanka, 16 dead

Apr 02, Colombo: Suspected Tamil Tigers blasted a civilian bus today, on Poya Day killing 15 civilians, including three children and a Sri Lankan soldier in Amapra in Eastern Sri Lanka.

Hospital sources confirmed that three children were among the dead. The blast injured another 25 people including two soldiers.

The death toll is expected to rise in the explosion occurred at Konduwatuawana, northwest of Ampara, on a civilian transportation bus bound for Bibile, Badulla from Ampara..

According to military officials at Ampara the bomb is believed to be laden inside the bus, on a baggage rack. Military officials are conducting investigations at the site of the explosion.

Yesterday Tamil Tigers killed 6 Sinhalese civilian construction workers at a construction site in Batticaloa. In January 2007, a suspected LTTE bomb blast in a bus killed 15 and injured 40 civilians at Kahawa- Ambalangoda. An earlier explosion of a bus by the Tigers in June 2006 killed 64 people including 15 children.

Sri Lanka President arrives in New Delhi

Apr 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in New Delhi last night to attend the 14th SAARC Summit. He traveled on MIHIN LANKA, the new Sri Lankan airline.

Indian Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar welcomed the President at the Palam Air Force Station.

President Rajapaksa also met with Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister of Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports, and Development of the North Eastern Region. Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Sri Lankan High Commissioner Romesh Jayasinghe were also present.

Lanka’s SAARC thrust to cripple LTTE terrorism

NEW DELHI: In a bid to cripple LTTE’s fund raising and arms procurement machinery well active in the region, Sri Lanka will push for more emphasis on Terrorism Financing in the Counter Terrorism Declaration that is to be passed at the end of the 14th SAARC summit, proposed by host, India.

“Terrorism has afflicted all countries in the region without exception, at some point or other.

All Smiles: Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona with other officials at the SAARC Foreign Secretaries meeting in New Delhi. Right: Security personnel being briefed by an officer at the Vigyan Bhavan, the venue of the 14th SAARC Summit in New Delhi. Picture by Sudath Silva

There are applicable SAARC conventions as well as global conventions that can be given effect by SAARC members.

Unfortunately we have not been too proactive giving effect to existing laws,” Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona said.

Dr. Kohona briefed his counterparts from India, Pakistan, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan, at the informal sessions on Saturday, on the need for collective integration in this area and for a thrust on curbing terrorism financing, both through direct and indirect means by front organisations, through state law enforcement agencies. Afghanistan and India had been very supportive of this effort from the outset.

“Hopefully it will be passed at the main summit,” Dr. Kohona said.

Sri Lanka’s inputs will call for action to arrest fund raising, money laundering and arms procurement, by terror groups, which also includes LTTE.

Dr. Kohona told the Daily News: “It is not to be forgotten terrorism does not stand alone.

It is intimately linked to other international crimes such as human trafficking, narcotics, arms trading and money laundering. All these elements should be looked at.”

He said the idea is to make SAARC more proactive in dealing with these issues.

Asked if the latest threat posed by the LTTE’s air wing will be taken up at the main summit, Dr. Kohona said it will be discussed more on a bi- lateral platform with India rather than at the SAARC summit.

Sri Lanka’s concerns will be discussed at the Foreign Secretaries’ meeting and also at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting that will continue throughout today, before it will be finally taken up at the main state-leaders summit on Tuesday.

He said compared to other regional bodies like the European Union (EU) and ASEAN, SAARC has not delivered very much on its promises.

“Our objective is more integration, so that it will deliver tangible benefits to the people in the region so that there will be more trade, travel, cultural connectivity and some form of political connectivity,” he added.

Immigrants to Britain face Britishness test

BRITAIN: Britain is seeking to promote a more cohesive nation by requiring people wanting to live permanently in the country to pass a test in English as well as politics, history and culture.

Such tests have been required since 2004 for all those seeking British citizenship, but will be required from Monday for all those seeking permanent residence.

The test called “Life in the UK” is composed of 24 questions, including those about British history, the political system, customs, and citizens’ rights.

People wanting to become permanent residents could be asked questions like who is the head of the Church of England, when was Queen Elizabeth II crowned, or how many members does the Scottish parliament have.

Citzens of the European Union member countries, except Romania and Bulgaria, which face immigration quotas, will be able to continue to live and work in Britain without restriction.

The test will cost 34 pounds (50 euros) and the test review pamphlet which people are advised to buy will cost nearly 10 pounds (15 euros).

The Home Office said the measure will help immigrants contribute to the economy by increasing their employment prospects and making them more aware of their rights and responsibilities.

However, Habib Rahman, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), was concerned abou the impact of the new requirements.

“From Monday applicants for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and naturalisation will pay double for their application fees,” he said.

“In particular the new ILR regime with its test requirements will make the integration of refugees and other vulnerable migrant groups harder,” Rahman added.

“The new rules could effectively deny UK settlement and citizenship to some of the children in these families indefinitely while the fees relative to these groups’ lower incomes are swingeing,” Rahman said.

Facing growing public concerns about immigration, Britain, which has been more open to immigration than many other European countries, is pursuing a strategy to limit the influx and avoid social divisions.

London, Sunday, AFP

Britain seeks face-saving deal with Iran

BRITAIN: Britain hopes to send a top navy officer to Tehran to deliver a face-saving compromise that will ensure the release of 15 captive British naval personnel, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The British government will send the officer to Tehran to promise that the Royal Navy will never knowingly enter Iranian waters without permission, according to a plan cited by The Sunday Telegraph.

The compromise, which would involve dispatching a navy captain or a commodore to Iran, was raised at a meeting of a senior government crisis committee on Saturday, the newspaper reported.

Iran demands an apology after accusing the 15 sailors and marines of entering Iranian waters illegally on March 23.

But the British government insists that Iranian vessels “ambushed” the group while they were in Iraqi waters carrying out anti-smuggling operations in support of UN resolutions and the Iraqi government.

Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett have been warned that the impasse may develop into a long stand-off. Privately, the paper said, officials are speculating that the crisis could continue for months.

Beckett has said that Britain has replied to a letter from the Iranian embassy in London, which urged the government to acknowledge that the sailors had trespassed and confirm that it would not happen again.

“Everyone regrets that this position has arisen. What we want is a way out of it. We want it peacefully and we want it as soon as possible,” Beckett said.

The newspaper quoted a defence official as saying that the plan held out some hope. “We are quite prepared to give the Iranians a guarantee that we would never knowingly enter their waters without their permission, now or in the future,” said the official.

“We are not apologising, nor are we saying that we entered their waters in the first place. But it may offer a route out of the crisis.”

Earlier Britain said it was concerned at Iranian “sabre-rattling” about possibly putting captured British naval personnel on trial and for the first time voiced regret the incident had occurred.

Iran’s ambassador to Moscow said the 15 Britons captured eight days ago could face punishment if found guilty of illegally entering the Islamic Republic’s territorial waters.

Britain insists the sailors were seized in Iraqi waters and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she was worried by such talk.

Iran’s Moscow ambassador, Gholamreza Ansari, said in an interview broadcast by Vesti-24 television on Friday, according to a Reuters translation from the original Farsi: “If there is no guilt they will be freed but the legal process is going on and has to be completed and if they are found guilty they will face the punishment.”

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on March 25 Iran was considering charging the sailors with illegally entering its waters.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry delivered a letter to Britain’s embassy in Tehran on Thursday, the first written communication between the two capitals since the crisis began.

The IRNA news agency said the Iranian message asked for “necessary guarantees that violations against Iranian waters would not be repeated”.

Beckett said: “We have made our response and we are now beginning to discuss. As you may know it’s a holiday period in Iran and it’s perhaps not too helpful.”

Iran displayed three of the detained Britons on television on Friday and released a letter from one saying she was being held because of “oppressive” British and U.S. behaviour in Iraq.

Meanwhile.US President George W. Bush said on Saturday that Iran’s detention of 15 British sailors and marines was inexcusable and called on Tehran to release “the hostages” immediately.

Bush said he supported British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s efforts to resolve the matter peacefully and rejected the idea of swapping Iranians held by the United States in Iraq for the detained Britons.

“The Iranians must give back the hostages. They’re innocent,” Bush told a news conference at the Camp David presidential retreat with visiting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

“The Iranians took these people out of Iraqi waters. It’s inexcusable behavior.”

Meanwhile.more people in Britain oppose military action than support it to end the standoff over Iran’s capture of 15 British military personnel in the Gulf, a poll published at the weekend said.

A survey for an ICM poll published in The Sunday Telegraph found that 48 percent of voters rejected force even as a “last resort,” while 44 percent backed it if diplomacy failed.

London, Sunday, AFP, Reuters

Indian PM to visit Sri Lanka?

NEW DELHI: Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon said yesterday that Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will visit Sri Lanka soon.

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh

Responding to a question by the Daily News during a media briefing here in connection with the 14th SAARC summit as to why an Indian Prime Minister had not undertaken a state visit to Sri Lanka since 1987 (twenty years) the Foreign Secretary Menon, one time India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka said “Certainly we are looking at it. It will happen soon”.

Last Thursday, the Daily News also asked Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee why an Indian Prime Minister had not made a State visit to Sri Lanka for nearly twenty years, Foreign Minister Mukherjee responded” I have noted it. I will take it up with the Prime Minister”.

Late Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was the last Indian Prime Minister to make a State visit to Sri Lanka, in July 1987 to sign the Indo-Lanka Accord.

Lanka calls for greater coordination in naval patrols

NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka emphasised the need for greater coordination in naval patrols in the Palk Strait when Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama met Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, on the sidelines of the SAARC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting last evening.

The Minister said there was understanding of the Sri Lankan position by India, taking note of the comments expressed by the Indian Naval chief that the LTTE could be aiming at creating a rift in the relations between the two countries.

“I stressed that the coordinated patrols to be the only way forward,” the Minister told the Daily News following a ‘very fruitful meeting’ with his counterpart, at the Indian Leader’s South Block office.

Bogollagama echoed the increasing threat posed by the LTTE in the Palk Strait due to LTTE activities, as also pointed out by the Indian Naval Chief, at the meeting.

This was the third bi-lateral meeting between the two top ministers in less than two months.

The Minister also briefed the Indian leader on the LTTE air attack on the Air base at Katunayake, which was acknowledged as a threat not only to Sri Lanka, but also to the region as a whole.

The need to strengthen the defence capabilities of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces was also discussed and acknowledged the need for preventing such attacks.The need to strengthen regional cooperation in combating terrorism and enhanced cooperation in political and other areas were also discussed.

Asked if the internal conflicts of the member states would impede the collective deliberations, as predicted on certain media, the Minister responded in the negative saying their were no roots for these internal strife to make their way into the multilateral summit. “I think SAARC will have a very positive outcome,” he stressed.

The Minister held bi-lateral meetings with the Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Shaheed and the Chief Advisor for Foreign Affairs of the Bangladeshi caretaker government last morning.

Among the issues discussed with the Maldivian counterpart were enhancement of bi-lateral tourism and issues connected to sub-commission of fisheries, etc.

They also discussed the political and economic utility of forming a SAARC Parliament and proposal of having a single currency in the region.

In his meeting with the Bangladesh Chief advisor the need for greater connectivity in the air services were emphasised. Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona and Sri Lankan High Commissioner Romesh Jayasinghe were also present at the meetings.