Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to present my cordial greetings to you, Mr. Chairman, to the Co-Chairs of the Conference of Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka, namely the United States of America, the European Union, the Kingdom of Norway and Japan, and to each of the Representatives of the various Donor Countries gathered here.

The participation of the Holy See at this Conference is meant to be an eloquent sign of its solidarity with the population of Sri Lanka. It is also intended as a call to the diverse ethnic and religious groups of the country never to choose again the way of violence, but to continue, with ever greater efforts, on the way of negotiation. At the same time, the Holy See’s participation wants to be both a support and encouragement for the efforts of the Donor Countries in favour of the material reconstruction of Sri Lanka.

The Holy See is aware of the constitutional reform already under way in the country so that each and every ethnic and religious group can coexist in peace and harmony with one another. Pope John Paul II, in fact, on the occasion of the Presentation of the Credential Letters of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Holy See in 1997, said : “It is essential that all parties be open and assume the demands necessary to balance opposing factions”.

The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka, whose members belong to all ethnic groups, is working to promote an atmosphere of dialogue and peace: a just peace based upon the protection and promotion of the fundamental rights of all citizens, as well as a respect for their cultural and religious traditions, all ordered to the common good.

The peace process needs to be accompanied by a moral and material support on the part of the International Community for the reconstruction and development of Sri Lanka. The Holy See supports the Donor Countries who are willing to commit themselves to meet the needs of the Sri Lankan population. In fact, it is necessary to mobilize all sectors in order to reconstruct that which was destroyed and to insure the human and integral development of the population. This is an indispensable condition for consolidating the peace process. The International Community is called to actively engage in constructing bridges of understanding and cooperation. Sri Lanka does not need compassion, but solidarity!

Thank you!