Government insists Presidential visit to London a success despite Diaspora protests

Government insists Presidential visit to London a success despite Diaspora protests

Despite strong protests by the Tamil Diaspora, the Government yesterday insisted that the recent tour by President Mahinda Rajapaksa was a success, an official said.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Britain Dr. Chris Nonis told media heads that unlike the previous visit undertaken by Rajapaksa his attendance at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Queen were fruitful.

Terming the cancellation of Rajapaksa’s address at the Commonwealth Business Council as “trivial” he assured that six out of the seven events attended by the President during his three-day tour in London were a success. “This visit must be seen in the context of the previous visit of the President. Compared to that there was real progress this time with the Queen, Prince Charles and Prime Minister James Cameron meeting with the President,” Nonis said.

He added that the meeting with Cameron had been very successful as it gave the chance for Rajapaksa to debrief the Premier on the post-war progress achieved in Sri Lanka.

During a reception organised by the Sri Lankan High Commission Rajapaksa also met with around a dozen British Parliamentarians. 

Sri Lanka will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2013 and Nonis went on to say that the President’s presence at the Queen’s celebrations promoted engagement with the UK as a crucial run up to the event.