Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said the efforts made by President Maithripala Sirisena to strengthen reconciliation in Sri Lanka are laudable.

The Singaporean Minister made this remark when he called on President Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday(July 18).

He also added that he would visit Jaffna tomorrow to donate books to the Jaffna Library and to sign an agreement to provide training facilities for the library staff. Singapore will also provide training facilities and set up a professorship at the Orthopedics Department of Jaffna Hospital.

The president thanked Singapore for providing such assistance to te Jaffna Library and Hospital and recalled that Singapore and Sri Lanka have maintained excellent bilateral ties since time immemorial.

He also thanked Singapore for assisting Sri Lanka at the international forums during the time of war. Dr Balakrishnan immediately responded to the President's remark claiming whatever Singapore was providing to Sri Lanka was only a 'repayment of the intellectual endowment' received from high standard Sri Lankan professionals who augmented Singapore's progress over the years.

Dr Balakrishnan said there was immense potential to increase Singaporean investments in Sri Lanka, while adding that Singaporean investors could also look at other sectors like energy, water, education and technology. He said there are over 300 Singaporean investments in Sri Lanka, at the moment. 

The Singaporean Foreign Ministers said as small nations living among powerful big neighbours, countries such as Singapore and Sri Lanka have to always maintain extra vigilance on power balance and external relations.

Minister Ravi Karunanayake, Secretary to the President Austin Fernando, Foreign Ministry Secretary Esala Weerakoon and Singaporean High Commissioner S Chandra Das were also present.