Srilanka

Attaching great importance to its relationship with Sri Lanka, Switzerland hopes to continue to build the positive relations, to the benefit of both countries, the Embassy of Switzerland in Sri Lanka has said.In a Diplomatic Note communicated to the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Sri Lanka on 30 December, the Embassy of Switzerland in Sri Lanka noted that the two countries have maintained excellent relations for decades and in the last few weeks this relationship was marred by the misunderstandings surrounding an incident involving a local staff member of the Embassy.

The Embassy, regretting that the developments have led Switzerland to question the Sri Lankan authorities' commitment to due process, affirmed that Switzerland, like Sri Lanka, is committed to upholding good governance and the rule of law and assured that at no point during this time did Switzerland have the intention of tarnishing the image of the government of Sri Lanka.Following is the note simultaneously released by the Embassy of Switzerland in Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Colombo:

The Embassy of Switzerland in Colombo presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and has the honor to state the following:Switzerland and Sri Lanka have maintained excellent relations for decades, and have engaged in substantial cooperation in a variety of fields, to the benefit of both countries and their populations. Both countries value these relations greatly.

In the last few weeks, this relationship was marred by misunderstandings surrounding an incident involving a local staff member of the Embassy, who was subsequently taken into custody by the Sri Lankan authorities. In this context, uncorroborated facts made it into the public domain, putting an unnecessary strain on the otherwise cordial relationship between the two countries. At no point during this time did Switzerland have the intention of tarnishing the image of the government of Sri Lanka.

Forty-seven schools out of 84 will not start their first term tomorrow due to the scrutiny of GCE O/L answer scripts, Examinations Commissioner Sanath Pujitha said today.&Those schools will start their first term on January 6,& he said.a"The first phase of O/L paper evaluation will be carried out in 84 schools in 110 evaluation centres countrywide covering 56 cities," he said. All other schools in the country start their first term for 2020 tomorrow.

The Police have set up a Special Operations Unit, under the supervision of a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) to curb the unlawful activities of organized criminal groups, the Defence Ministry said.The Unit will be under the purview of Western Province DIG Waruna Jayasundara.

Transport Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed Railway Department officials to launch the pilot programme for converting all railway stations under the Green (Haritha) concept beginning from the Dematagoda Railway station on January 1.He said all railway stations should be converted into Green (Haritha) railway stations under the concept of Green Places and Cities for Health and Prosperity.