- News>
- Asia
Sri Lanka willing to send peacekeepers to Iraq
Colombo, July 02: Sri Lanka`s government today said it would consider any request to send peacekeeping troops to Iraq, as the country`s efforts to emerge from its own two-decade civil war appear to be taking root.
Colombo, July 02: Sri Lanka's government today said it would consider any request to send peacekeeping troops to Iraq, as the country's efforts to emerge from its own two-decade civil war appear to be taking root.
``If such a request (for peacekeepers) is made, we will
surely consider it,'' foreign minister Tyronne Fernando told
reporters after officially opening a U.N.-sponsored
peacekeeper training programme.
Sri Lanka's civil war with the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels had long prevented it from taking part in peacekeeping efforts elsewhere.
But with its cease-fire apparently holding, and the Tamil Tigers saying they won't go back to war, the country's 120,000-member army has decided to offer its troops to U.N.'s peacekeeping programme.
A U.S. team visited New Delhi last month to persuade neighbouring India, to help with efforts to stabilise Iraq.
Bureau Report
Sri Lanka's civil war with the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels had long prevented it from taking part in peacekeeping efforts elsewhere.
But with its cease-fire apparently holding, and the Tamil Tigers saying they won't go back to war, the country's 120,000-member army has decided to offer its troops to U.N.'s peacekeeping programme.
A U.S. team visited New Delhi last month to persuade neighbouring India, to help with efforts to stabilise Iraq.
Bureau Report