Germany-Lanka relations in retrospect
President Maithripala Sirisena will make an official/state visit to Germany on February 15. State visits are viewed as a crescendo of bilateral diplomacy. British Scholar-Diplomat Sir Ernest Satow’s ‘Guide to Diplomatic Practice’, mentions of the visits of heads of state to other sovereign states, from historical times, and the facilities, and ceremonials accorded. Depending, on [...]
Budddhist revival in Sri Lanka and India
Anagarika Dharmapala is well known for spearheading the Budddhist revival in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Buddhists consider him to be one of the most eminent personalities in the long history of Buddhism in the island. One aspect of his work which isn’t given much publicity though, is his contribution to the diplomatic relations between India [...]
A framework for police reforms
‘Almustafa when asked to speak on Crime and Punishment answered saying “……….. You cannot separate the just from the unjust and the good from the wicked; For they stand together before the face of the sun even as the black thread and the white are woven together. And when the black thread breaks, the weaver [...]
Putin is no ally against ISIS
MUNICH – The leaders of the United States and the European Union are making a grievous error in thinking that President Vladimir Putin’s Russia is a potential ally in the fight against the Islamic State. The evidence contradicts them. Putin’s current aim is to foster the EU’s disintegration, and the best way to do so [...]
How Sri Lankan diplomacy was undermined by big power politics
UNITED NATIONS – Addressing a fistful of academics and students at Yale University many moons ago, a former Indian ambassador said one of the biggest misconceptions about Asia, among most Americans, is that the Indian Ocean belongs to India. Not true, he said amidst laughter. And that’s not surprising considering that the average American has [...]