Thirty three recommendations out of the 135 listed by the LLRC to be implemented at the national level; Sri Lanka welcomes the decision of the United States government to exempt it from the economic sanctions imposed on Iran; MR’ scuba Visit; MoU with UK
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  • Reports noted that following a directive by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the coalition parties of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) have handed over their stance on the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report to the President's Secretary who is the competent authority to implement the LLRC recommendations. According to Lalith Weeratunga, the task force has selected 33 recommendations out of the 135 listed by the LLRC to be implemented at the national level. Some of the recommendations will be implemented this year while the others may be implemented next year after the budget for 2013 is prepared since the 2012 budget allocations to the ministries have been done before the release of the LLRC report last year, Weeratunga has said. 1

    Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government has welcomed the decision of the United States government to exempt Sri Lanka from the economic sanctions imposed on Iran. 2

    Reports noted that Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is on a state visit to Cuba met his Cuban counterpart President Raul Castro on June 16, 2012 at the Revolutionary Hall in the Cuban capital of Havana and discussed enhancing the five-decades long diplomatic ties between the two countries. Sri Lankan Ministers, Wimal Weerawnsa, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Mahinda Amaraweera, Deputy Minister Nirupama Rajapaksa and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga accompanied the President. 3

    According to reports, Sri Lanka's Ministry of health signed an agreement with the Ahmed Tea Company of United Kingdom to build a new cancer hospital affiliated to the National Cancer Hospital in Maharagama on June 13, 2012. The total cost for the construction of the hospital is estimated at 2.1 billion rupees and the Ahmed tea Company will provide 1.5 billion Sri Lankan rupees. The Construction work is expected to be finished by the end of 2014. 4

    According to reports, a Western Provincial Councilor Arshad Nizamdeen has handed a written request to the Indian High Commission in Colombo seeking the allocation of Indian funded houses in the North to the Muslims displaced from Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya by the Tamil Tiger terrorists. 5

    Reports noted that the Commander of Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral D W A S Dissanayake along with a delegation of four members was on an official visit to Pakistan from 11 - 16 June 2012 on an invitation extended by Pakistan Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila. During his stay, Vice Admiral Dissanayake visited various Naval Establishments in Karachi including the ship and small crafts manufacturing factories, Naval War College at Lahore and the equipment manufacturing industries at Taxila. 6

    According to the 2012 Global Peace Index (GPI) released on June 12, 2012, end of three-decade long civil war in Sri Lanka, three years ago, has propelled the country to experience the greatest improvement in overall peacefulness. Sri Lanka's GPI score experienced the largest year-on-year improvement of the 158 nations surveyed and it climbed 27 places to a still-low 103rd position overall and 17th in the Asia Pacific region ahead of India (142) and Pakistan (149). Sri Lanka joined Philippines, Zimbabwe, Bhutan and Guyana to be the top 5 countries that registered "improvements in peacefulness".7

    Meanwhile, according to reports, Sri Lanka is no longer in the United Nations Secretary-General's 'List of Shame' that lists countries where children are involved in armed conflict. 8

    Sri Lanka, in an effort to boost border security and curb illegal migration teamed up with the INTERPOL to launch South Asia's first Integrated INTERPOL Database Service. The Sri Lanka Immigration Border Control Systems linked up with INTERPOL to launch the program under the patronage of Secretary Defence and Urban Development Gotabhaya Rajapaksa today at the Defence Ministry. 9

    Reports noted that International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered the economic growth forecast for Sri Lanka on June 15, 2012 but said the policy measures implemented by the government to curb the trade deficit are 'fruitful'. The global lending authority predicted Sri Lanka's economy to grow at 6.75 percent, lower than the 7.2 percent projected by the country's Central Bank. 10

    Meanwhile, the Japanese government has extended a grant of Sri Lankan Rs. 468 million (380 million Yen) to purchase tractors as a measure to boost the agriculture activities in eight provinces of Sri Lanka. 11

    In other developments, Karu Jayasuriya, the former Deputy Leader of Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) has said that the government needed to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) without further delay and that Indian assistance could be sought to solve the national issue. 12

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