The Embassy and Permanent Mission of the
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 
28. April 2010
Media Release
The New Deputy Minister of
External Affairs assumes duties
Addressing the invitees and
staff of the Ministry, the Deputy Minister stated he is assuming duties
as the
Deputy Minister of External Affairs at a momentous time in the history
of our
country when terrorism has been defeated and the people have given a
resounding
mandate to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take the country forward
towards
making Sri Lanka ‘the wonder of Asia’.
The Deputy Minister said he
feels privileged to assume duties as the Deputy Minister of External
Affairs at
a time when under the Mahinda Chintanaya, the country will
follow a
foreign policy based on non alignment. He recalled the non aligned
foreign
policy followed by Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) as far back as 1956, when,
following
the victory of the electoral alliance formed under the Mahajana
Eksath
Peramuna (People’s United Front), the country opted for a
non aligned
foreign policy based on the pancha seela, namely, co-existence,
non-aggression, non-interference in the internal affairs of other
countries,
respect for each other’s sovereignty, equality and mutual
benefit.
The Deputy Minister expressed
confidence that together with the new Minister, Prof. G.L. Peiris, the
officers
and staff of the Ministry and Missions abroad, the External Affairs
Ministry
would be able to win over the outside world in taking the country
towards a
prosperous future.
A simple ceremony was
organized at the Ministry to welcome the new Deputy Minister who will
also
function as the Acting Minister of External Affairs until the return of
Ministry of External Affairs
