DAILY BRIEF: TUESDAY, 7TH JUNE 2016

June 7, 2016    Reading Time: 2 minutes

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Sri Lanka and France strengthen bilateral relations. Image credit - depositphotos

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LOCAL NEWS

Sri Lanka and France to strengthen bilateral relations

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera, visited France from 1-3 June aiming to strengthen relations between the two countries.

Addressing the French Entrepreneurs Association (MEDEF International), Minister Samaraweera outlined the key economic targets of the Sri Lankan government and stressed the role French investments play in further developing strategic partnerships.

China seeks joint ventures in Sri Lanka

The Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Yi Xianliang, has stated that China wants its projects in Sri Lanka to be joint ventures with either local, private, and state organizations, or with foreign companies.

Ambassador Xianliang expressed his view on the perception that Chinese projects are being used to bolster its strategic interests in the region. He stated that this would be dispelled if the projects are joint ventures and run as commercial enterprises.

Sri Lanka to resettle all war-displaced persons by 2017

The Minister of National Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages, Mano Ganesan, has stated that Sri Lanka will resettle all people affected by the war, by the end of 2016.

Minister Ganesan claimed that the Sinhala and Muslim communities that were displaced from the North by the LTTE will be invited to return to Jaffna and would regain ownership of their land.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Saudi-led coalition removed from UN blacklist

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has announced that the Saudi-led military coalition, which was placed on the UN list of child right violators last Thursday, will be removed subject to a pending review.

Mr. Ban stated that the review would be conducted jointly with a team from the accused coalition. The annual report, entitled ‘Children and Armed Conflict’, had originally found the Saudi-led coalition to be responsible for 60% of Yemeni child deaths and injuries in 2015.

US-China dialogues held in China

High-level officials from the US and China, including US Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese President Xi Jinping, have gathered in Beijing for the annual China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

In his opening statement on Monday, President Xi called on China and the US to prevent their ­differences from turning into ­confrontation.

German President to step down

The German President, Joachim Gauck, has stated that he will not seek a second term in 2017.

President Gauck’s successor will be selected in February 2017, six months before the general elections. President Gauck is Germany’s 11th postwar president, having served since 2012.