Akashi- the link between Japan and Sri Lanka

(Colombo, Lankapuvath, June 17) - Bonds between Japan and Sri Lanka are by no means shallow. Japan has always respected and cooperated on the sovereignty and self determination of Sri Lanka as a pearl of the orient.

Sri Lanka welcomes Japanese Special Envoy to Sri Lanka Yasushi Akashi for the 20th time as a friend and Asian neighbour. Japan has not based its aid or friendship on conditions.

Yasushi Akashi, the Special Envoy in Sri Lanka has served as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator (ERC) from 1996-97 with a strong background in political affairs, international security and diplomacy. Akashi well understood that humanitarian emergencies are complex in nature.

Akashi was also responsible for overseeing part of the implementation of Security Council 986 (1995) to alleviate the impact of UN sanctions on Iraq's civilian population and to meet essential humanitarian needs by a variety of measures. He was also keenly concerned about landmine issues and was a strong advocate of demining on humanitarian grounds.

He has also served as a President of Hiroshima Peace Institute as well as of the Asahi Simbun Asia Network (AAN) until 1999.

He represented the government of Japan on Peace-Building, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sri Lanka, while simultaneously undertaking multiple responsibilities as Chairman of Japan Centre for Conflict Prevention (JCCP), President of the Council on Population, President of the Japan Association for the Study of the United Nations, Director of the Foreign Language Research Institute of the Gunma Prefectural Women's University and a Visiting Professor at the Ritsumeikan University and the Toyo Eiwa University.

In a warm landing to Sri Lanka Akashi said yesterday that its not for other governments or international organizations to dictate to Sri Lanka, in the highly sensitive area of rebuilding in a post-war reconciliation.

Sri Lanka has to weave its own programme but has the wisdom and choice of benefiting from other countries.

As regards the war crime issue, Japan Envoy was of the view that the government is working through it in a transparent and comprehensible manner and would make it work.

Japan is one of the foremost supporters of Sri Lanka. This year alone Japan has granted 39 billion Yen for development work in the country. He congratulated the Sri Lanka government on the peace initiative following post war situation. He would be visiting the North tomorrow, in friendship and fraternity as special envoy of Japan.

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