Kohona clarifies aborted EU visit to East

Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona has clarified the circumstances that led to the cancellation of a planned visit by the European Parliamentary delegation to Trincomalee.

An EU press statement said the last minute cancellation and a catalogue of chaos and confusion meant that the Delegation did not fly to Trincomalee.

Despite repeated assurances, endless complications resulted in the party being turned back from the Ratmalana Airport, it said.

However, Dr. Kohona said the government had offered to transport the delegation in one of its aircraft which was declined by the European Commission office in Colombo, resulting in the latter seeking a private hire of an aircraft for this purpose;

The Ministry of Defence has then contacted the Civil Aviation Authority and requested that a flight to China Bay belonging to a private company be approved for this purpose.

It may be noted that although months of preparation time had been available, the said aircraft had arrived in Sri Lanka from South Africa only on 20th July 2008, with an operating crew inexperienced with the route.

Once the clearance for the aircraft by CAA had been given in the morning hours, and the final segment of the ensuing procedural process was taking place, the delegation had decided to return to their hotel from the Ratmalana airport, Dr. Kohona said.