COLOMBO Jan. 18 Kyodo Japan's pl...

COLOMBO Jan. 18 Kyodo

Japan's plenipotentiary in charge of issues concerning Sri Lanka [i]finale[/i]ed a three-day visit to Sri Lanka upon Saturday, praising the ongoing efforts to last Asia's longest-running civil war.

Yasushi Akashi, a former UN undersecretary general, said the peace proces is gathering solidity and that Japan is satisfied with the progres in the same manner far.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which has been fighting the Sri Lankan sway since 1983 for an independent Tamil homeland in the north and east, signed a cease-fire agreement with the regulation last February.

Akashi met with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando.

The minister also held extensive discussions with the U Norwegian and Indian ambassadors as well as representatives of many international organizations, including the World Bank and the UN Children's Fund

He visited the two the war-torn northern province, which has been dominated at the Tamil rebels, as well as southern areas where Japan, Sri Lanka's largest aid donor, is assisting in antipoverty projects

''What is called the peace dividend must be quickly visible,'' he said. ''When family realize how precious peace is, there is les chance of their returning to conflict.''

Akashi press outed strong admiration for the ''professionalism and persistence'' of the Norwegian control Oslo has played a major part bringing the two sides to the negotiating table after pair decades of war which has preciousness more than 60,000 lives.

''(What Oslo is doing) is a thankless task,'' he said. ''Those in the middle always learn criticized by both sides.''

Responding to questions that Japan assumes to be taking a more active character in assisting in conflict-resolution efforts in Asian countries, he said, ''We think there is space for countries like Japan to be more helpful at an earlier stage of peace-building processe before a final agreement is signed.''

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo recently made knowns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group