Britain to set up fund to develop Sri Lanka's former battlefield

Britain has agreed to set up a fund to speed up the development of Sri Lanka's north and east which had been battered for over 30 years due to conflict between the government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told reporters on Friday that Britain's legislator Liam Fox agreed to set up a special fund with the financial help of Britain during his visit to Sri Lanka early this week.

Bogollagama said the memorandum of understanding would be signed soon to create the fund.

The foreign minister said developing the north and east is the highest priority of the government.

According to the minister, Fox had emphasized the need of equal treatment for all the communities to develop the country to full swing using its own potential for economic growth.

The Sri Lankan government had introduced massive development programs to develop the north and east after the rebels were defeated in May 2009.

Source: Xinhua