of the delegation
of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam; and H.E.
Mr. Vidar Helgesen, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Norway, and their respective
delegations to Thailand.
On behalf of the Royal Thai Government, I wish
to warmly welcome H.E. Professor G L Peiris, Minister
for Constitutional Affairs and leader of the delegation
of the Government of Sri Lanka; H.E. Mr. Anton Balasingham,
Chief Negotiator and leader of the delegation of
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam; and H.E. Mr.
Vidar Helgesen, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Norway, and their respective
delegations to Thailand.
For almost two decades, the world has been saddened
by the strife in Sri Lanka, whose cost in terms
of lost lives and destroyed properties have been
tragic. Earlier this year, therefore, we joined
the world community in welcoming the news of the
ceasefire agreement between the Government of Sri
Lanka and the LTTE, and, subsequently, the start
of the political dialogue which would hopefully
lead to a resolution of the conflict.
The Royal Thai Government was thereafter honoured
to be able to respond positively to the Royal Norwegian
Government's request to provide the venue for the
Sri Lankan peace talks. We are pleased to contribute
to the cause of peace in the international community
and to make a modest contribution to a part of the
world whence came our script, our beliefs and so
much of our culture. We believe that peace and harmony
in Sri Lanka would contribute to peace and harmony
in Asia at a time when Thailand has recently launched
the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, which inaugurated
a new era in Asia-wide cooperation stretching from
western Asia through South Asia and South East Asia
to East Asia. We hope that your dialogue in the
coming days will lead to the universally desired
result of national reconciliation in Sri Lanka.
On our part, it is our duty to provide you with
the best environment and facilities to ensure that
your deliberations proceed as smoothly as possible
in the interest of peace in Asia and on earth as
a whole.
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I
wish to thank wholeheartedly the Royal Thai Navy
for agreeing immediately to our request to provide
the venue and all the facilities needed for these
Talks. It is a great personal honour for me to represent
the Royal Thai Government at this historic event
of the inauguration of the Sri Lanka Peace Talks.
I wish all of you every success in your common endeavour
to bring peace to your fellow citizens and to your
beautiful country.
Thank you.