France supports Sri Lanka’s reconciliation efforts: Envoy

French Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives Jean-Marin Schuh

France strongly backs the Sri Lankan Government’s approach in the areas of reconciliation, good governance and human rights, French Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives Jean-Marin Schuh has said.

In an interview with The Hindu, Schuh has said that his Government is in favour of the current Government’s program and has decided to upgrade ties with the island nation. “We are clearly in favour of the program of this government regarding reconciliation, good governance and human rights. This is why we have decided to upgrade our ties with Sri Lanka,” The Hindu quoted Schuh as saying.

He added that French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault had conveyed this to his Sri Lankan counterpart Mangala Samaraweera during the latter’s visit to Paris early this month. Speaking about steps taken by the current Government to bring about reconciliation, the French envoy also said “they are there not just in paper but also on the ground.” He referred to the latest move to establish the Office on Missing Persons.

Dismissing the argument that Western countries were not helping the present Government in the area of infrastructure development, he pointed out that two major French companies, Veolia and Suez, had signed two contracts last week of €150 million each for water supply projects. 

He added that the AFD, the French Agency for Development, would soon sign a €50 million agreement for an urban development project in Anuradhapura.