Sunday, April 22, 2012

Peiris going to US with secret Action Plan

Palestinian faces turn red as External Affairs Minister refers to them as Israelis
Ministers and UPFA party leaders asked to give their views before April 28

By Our Political Editor
With Internally Displaced Persons (IDP's) at Vavuniya.

External Affairs Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris, made a colossal diplomatic blunder last Monday.
To use his own words: "Your Excellency Dr. Riyad-al-Maliki, Foreign Minister of the State of Israel, Your Excellency the Ambassador of Israel, Deputy Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka, Secretary to our Ministry, Ladies and Gentlemen of the media. I am very happy to extend on this occasion a very cordial welcome………."

There was neither the Foreign Minister of the state of Israel nor its Ambassador present at the External Affairs Ministry in Colombo where a news conference was held. The two dignitaries were in fact representing the state of Palestine. Foreign Minister Maliki had accompanied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka. He was with Peiris for a joint news conference. Also present was the Palestine Ambassador Dr. Anwar Al Agha.

The faces of doctors Maliki and Agha reddened. They blushed as Peiris continued referring twice to Israel. The uneasy body language of Ambassador Agha prompted Peiris to realise his blunder. He said "sorry" very matter of factly and continued.

At least for a while, it seemed that the External Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka did not know the difference between Israel and Palestine. Sri Lanka not only enjoyed close ties with Palestine but President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was then a budding MP, was a champion of the Palestinian cause. He then headed the Sri Lanka chapter of the Movement for Solidarity with Palestine. In his honour, the state of Palestine named one of their streets President Mahinda Rajapaksa Avenue.

That was in the presence of the local and foreign media in Sri Lanka. The video of Peiris' remarks can be seen on website www.sundaytimes.lk. Needless to say that it is one of the biggest gaffes by an External Affairs (Foreign) Minister in post-independent Sri Lanka.

There was some similarity in a different direction last Sunday. US President Barrack Obama made what was described as an "uncharacteristic error" by referring to Malvinas as the Maldives. These two words were used to describe his gaffe since his predecessor; George W. Bush was reputed for many, some bordering on the dumb side. Obama was speaking at the summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Columbia. Malvinas is the Spanish name for the Falkland Islands located off the south eastern coast of South America.