Fonseka promoted as CDS; Rajapakse calls for the establishment of an Emergency Financing Facility; PM Singh and Rajapakse discuss issues of mutual interest at NAM Summit
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    • Gen. Sarath Fonseka was promoted as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Admiral Karannagoda appointed as the National Security Advisor, in recognition of their services in the fight against terrorism1.

    At the NAM Summit in Egypt, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama urged participating countries to help reform international financial institutions and called for policies that focus on the needs of developing countries. He also stated that the issue of Palestinians should be dealt with “flexibility and maturity2.”

    The Malaysian Foreign Minister also assured Mr. Bogollagama in a meeting at the sidelines of the summit that his country would take steps to prevent LTTE elements from operating in the region3.

    President Rajapakse at the summit proposed that NAM should provide a leadership role in establishing an Emergency Financing Facility which could be accessed in times of emergency4. He also met with PM Dr. Singh on the sidelines of the summit. Reports noted that PM Singh expressed his confidence in the abilities of the Rajapakse government to deal with the post-conflict environment in the country. The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest, including the status of the IDP’s in the North, proposals for devolution of power and a political solution in Sri Lanka, the issue of fishermen in the waters north of Sri Lanka, the current developments in the North and the East, and aspects relating to continued cooperation between the two countries5.

    In other developments, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Sri Lanka signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the FIUs of Philippines and Nepal during the Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering, held during the week. The agreement focuses on sharing financial information to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of persons suspected of engaging in activities like money laundering and terrorist financing6.

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