Blair hails new Govt., pledges support

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday hailed the peaceful conclusion of the Parliamentary election in Sri Lanka last week and pledged to assist the country to rebuild its international image.

Blair met with President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, together with his wife Cheri Blair and children.

Blair praised President Sirisena for his efforts to foster reconciliation and restore democracy throughout the country, the Presidential Media Division (PMD) said. He also offered to stand by Sri Lanka and correct misconceptions about the country within the international community, PMD said.

The former British Prime Minister also spoke to President Sirisena about possibilities of implementing international programs of Tony Blair Foundation in collaboration with Sri Lanka.

He commended the progress made by the Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, and said that he would extend every possible support to develop the industry, the PMD said. 

Blair was in the country on a private visit. Yesterday he delivered the Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture titled ‘Reconciliation in Sri Lanka and the Northern Ireland Experience’ at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies held under the auspices of the LKIIRSS, the Chairman of which is Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. (DB)