"Reservoirs are like the arteries in our body. The sustenance of our nation was due to huge reservoirs and great irrigation works like the one we are launching today(April 29). We breathe life to our nation through these reservoir projects", the President Mahinda Rajapaksa was quoted as saying during his speech delivered on the occasion of the visit of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Sri Lanka, at Sapugaskanda.
"The Islamic people of the world have suffered immensely from war. We know that hundreds of thousands of our fraternal Muslims people live in refugee camps due to Israel - Palestinian war and other conflicts in the world.
That is not all. The inhuman sufferings the Sri Lankan Muslims have undergone due to terrorism are not seen in many other countries. It includes the massacre of Muslims when they were praying to Almighty Allah at the Kattankudi Mosque; and the eviction of several thousand Muslims from the North in just 24 hours", the President further added during his speech.
Full text of the speech made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the occasion of the visit of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Sri Lanka, at Sapugaskanda - April 29, 2008
Your Excellency President Mahmoud Ahmadinajad of Iran
Hon. Prime Minister,
Hon. Speaker
Hon. Ministers and Members of Parliament
The Iranian delegation led by the Hon. Foreign Minister of Iran
Hon. Governors
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Secretary to the President, Secretaries to Ministries and Public Officers
Friends,
It is a pleasure for me to address you on this occasion when with the goodwill of the historic nation of Iran the Sri Lankan nation is to receive the Uma Oya Development Project and a modern oil refinery .
Your Excellency, A reservoir is the noblest gift one could give the Sri Lankan people.
Reservoirs are like the arteries in our body. The sustenance of our nation was due to huge reservoirs and great irrigation works like the one we are launching today. We breathe life to our nation through these reservoir projects.
You know that we mentioned in the Mahinda Chinthana policy document that we would build huge multi-purpose irrigation projects such as the Deduru Oya, Rambukkan Oya, Moragahakanda and Uma Oya projects in addition to the Ten Thousand Reservoirs project. These comprise the very life of our nation.
Your Excellency,
Statistics cannot measure the utility that would be provided to our nation by a reservoir of this nature. How many crops would have been cultivated and harvests gathered through the ages, from the waters of the Parakrama Samudraya, Kala Oya and the like? As in the past, how many generations yet to be born would be served by these reservoirs? Hence, a generation cannot fix a monetary value for a project like this, just as mother's milk cannot be priced. We do not estimate this at 450 million dollars.
Friends, postponing the tasks of today top the future only results in burdening the future with the weight of the past. We cannot do that. Today we bear the responsibility of completing with speed many tasks that should have been finished in the past.
This Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery is such a task.
Modernizing this refinery with Iranian assistance will result a twofold economic benefit to the country. We will be able to refine all our needs in oil from this refinery.
We are aware that Iran supplied the most crude oil to Sri Lanka. Yet, without showing the power of oil, Iran has been in the spirit of friendship to assist us to establish a modern oil refinery.
Your Excellency
Iran and Sri Lanka have long history of close relations. Iran has been mentioned in our history and literature as 'Persia'.
There is evidence of the visits of your ancestors to our country. In Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya we have preserved buildings and religious symbols that were designed according to Persian tradition. We have written evidence about strong relations between our two countries during the time of King Voharika Tissa in AD 225.
We have Persian coins dating back to thousands of years, when we traded with the people of Persia. Then Sri Lanka had trade relations with many countries of the world. It is said that a member of a Roman trade delegation told King Voharika Tissa that Roman coins were more valuable than Persian coins. But, Mr. President, we value your nation's friendship more than coins. The unity of our peoples is worth much more.
Friends, the Islamic people of the world have suffered immensely from war. We know that hundreds of thousands of our fraternal Muslims people live in refugee camps due to Israel - Palestinian war and other conflicts in the world.
I have a good understanding of the sufferings of the Muslim world as I was the President of the Palestine Friendship Society for a long time. That is not all. The inhuman sufferings the Sri Lankan Muslims have undergone due to terrorism are not seen in many other countries. It includes the massacre of Muslims when they were praying to Almighty Allah at the Kattankudi Mosque; and the eviction of several thousand Muslims from the North in just 24 hours.
That is why I pledged at the last Presidential Elections not to allow any race to take any other race hostage. While we could build the overhead bridge at Kelaniya in 62 days, it took us only two months to resettle in their old villages the Muslims who lived for decades in refugee camps. We have not only provided electricity, roads, education and livelihoods to the people of the East but also gave them an opportunity to enjoy democracy after twenty years.
By resettling our people in their former villages we gained the same satisfaction that you achieve by safeguarding the Iranian people from war. Already we have spent Rs. 6 billion for the development of the liberated East.
We have developed the Batticaloa - Trincomalee railway line and the towns of Valachchenai and Kalmunai in such a way that the terrorists would not be able to grab them. Those who were vanquished could well raise their heads again and try to regain what they lost. It is the duty of the people to protect all these gains and defend these victories.
Friends, we should consider this Iranian gift as a contribution to the consolidation of our independence.
Thousands would find employment when the waters of Uma Oya would irrigate 25,000 acres during both seasons; when we employ 98 percent local engineering talent and build the longest trans-plain tunnel of 23 km for the project.
When Iran is meaningfully employing science and technology for human development instead of war, Sri Lanka is also moving in the same direction. We have increased computer literacy to 20 percent from very low levels. When the electricity plants of the Uma Oya Project generate 100 MW of electricity we could further raise the computer literacy in the villages.
Therefore, I say again that we consider this donation as one that would consolidate our independence.
The foreign policy of the government of Iran is peace and justice. We welcome this policy whole heartedly. This modern oil refinery is a symbol of such friendship.
Friends, a simile in Buddhist literature says that when waters from the four directions flow into the sea they have the same salty taste. Similarly, let us pray that this Uma Oya project would bring solace to all people irrespective of their racial or religious differences.
Your Excellency,
Today we have been privileged to address our glorious past under your dignified leadership and presence. As a nation and a people it is with feelings of loving friendship that we honour you and your people for this great opportunity. I trust this friendship will endure and flourish among future generations of our two lands, just as the Uma Oya which flowed steadily for thousands of years watering our land and making our fields fertile.
May the Noble Triple Gem bless you!
May Almighty Allah bless you!
Courtesy: Policy Research & Information Unit- Presidential Secretariat
Showing posts with label Iran-Sri lanka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran-Sri lanka. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Visit of Iranian President to Sri Lanka
,We are seeking justice and fair play in the world and Sri Lanka an Iran have agreed to cooperate in all spheres for the mutual benefit of each other," said Iranian President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinajad yesterday(28).
Addressing a joint media briefing with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat last night, the Iranian President said Iran and Sri Lanka were committed to protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other, and it was very clear that cooperation in the political, economic, and cultural spheres between Sri Lanka and Iran would benefit both countries and also help in strengthening regional cooperation.
He added that since the Islamic Revolution, Iran had made great stride sin the scientific and technical spheres and was ready to share the benefits of these achievements with its friends. He said Sri Lanka and Iran had very aspirations based on previous good relations, that had grown very much today. Under the leader of Sri Lanka by President Rajapaksa there was the opportunity to expand this relationship between the two countries for the benefit of both.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked Iran for the continued friendship and assistance to Sri Lanka, said the agreements signed would help Sri Lanka considerably, and mentioned the benefits to agriculture and the rural sector, especially in Moneragala and Hambantota Districts from the Uma Oya Project funded by Iran, and the doubling of Sri Lanka's crude oil refining capacity with the modernizing of the Sapugaskanda refinery with Iranian assistance.
The media briefing took place after the signing of six agreements between Iran and Sri Lanka for a range of political, economic and cultural cooperation, which was preceded by bi-lateral talks between the delegations of the two countries led by the Presidents of Sri Lanka and Iran. He said the concessionary terms provided by Iran were a great help to Sri Lanka at a time I rising oil prices win the world.
Earlier, the two presidents had one-to-one discussions, which though scheduled for 15 minutes went on for nearly 45 minutes despite the tight schedule of the Iranian President's programme.
The agreements signed last night included two MoUs on the establishment of a Political Consultative Mechanism between the two countries and Iranian Development Assistance to Sri Lanka; and agreements on Financial Assistance for the expansion and modernizing of the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery, financial assistance the Uma Oya Project and agreement between the Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Foundation and the Mostazafan Foundation of Iran for the development of a sports complex in Sri Lanka.
The Iranian President was received by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport last evening, ands was accorded full state honours including 21 Gun Salute by the Sri Lanka Army and a Guard of Honour by the Sri Lanka Navy.
He is due to visit the Sapugaskanda Petroleum Refinery this morning to participate in the launch of work on modernizing the refinery, and if weather permits, will visit the site of the Uma Oya Project for its ceremonial launch.
Courtesy: Policy Research & Information Unit- Presidential Secretariat
Addressing a joint media briefing with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat last night, the Iranian President said Iran and Sri Lanka were committed to protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other, and it was very clear that cooperation in the political, economic, and cultural spheres between Sri Lanka and Iran would benefit both countries and also help in strengthening regional cooperation.
He added that since the Islamic Revolution, Iran had made great stride sin the scientific and technical spheres and was ready to share the benefits of these achievements with its friends. He said Sri Lanka and Iran had very aspirations based on previous good relations, that had grown very much today. Under the leader of Sri Lanka by President Rajapaksa there was the opportunity to expand this relationship between the two countries for the benefit of both.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked Iran for the continued friendship and assistance to Sri Lanka, said the agreements signed would help Sri Lanka considerably, and mentioned the benefits to agriculture and the rural sector, especially in Moneragala and Hambantota Districts from the Uma Oya Project funded by Iran, and the doubling of Sri Lanka's crude oil refining capacity with the modernizing of the Sapugaskanda refinery with Iranian assistance.
The media briefing took place after the signing of six agreements between Iran and Sri Lanka for a range of political, economic and cultural cooperation, which was preceded by bi-lateral talks between the delegations of the two countries led by the Presidents of Sri Lanka and Iran. He said the concessionary terms provided by Iran were a great help to Sri Lanka at a time I rising oil prices win the world.
Earlier, the two presidents had one-to-one discussions, which though scheduled for 15 minutes went on for nearly 45 minutes despite the tight schedule of the Iranian President's programme.
The agreements signed last night included two MoUs on the establishment of a Political Consultative Mechanism between the two countries and Iranian Development Assistance to Sri Lanka; and agreements on Financial Assistance for the expansion and modernizing of the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery, financial assistance the Uma Oya Project and agreement between the Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Foundation and the Mostazafan Foundation of Iran for the development of a sports complex in Sri Lanka.
The Iranian President was received by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport last evening, ands was accorded full state honours including 21 Gun Salute by the Sri Lanka Army and a Guard of Honour by the Sri Lanka Navy.
He is due to visit the Sapugaskanda Petroleum Refinery this morning to participate in the launch of work on modernizing the refinery, and if weather permits, will visit the site of the Uma Oya Project for its ceremonial launch.
Courtesy: Policy Research & Information Unit- Presidential Secretariat
The two Presidents warmly greet each other
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Sri Lanka last evening on a two-day State visit.
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