Sri Lankan new PM pledges peace, development

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 07, 2004

Sri Lankan new PM pledges peace, development

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Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse has stressed the necessity of implementing an accelerated program to solve burning issues faced by the people ofthe country, the official Daily News said on Wednesday.

"It is our duty and responsibility to form a government free ofcorruption, ensure peace and development without causing hardshipsto the people," Rajapakse said Tuesday in his maiden function since assuming office in capital Colombo.

"We will commence our work as soon as possible," he pledged, emphasizing that there is a responsibility placed on the new government to ease the burden and pressure on the people and to ensure for them a prosperous future.

"My foremost wish is to build a society where all communities, ethnic and religious groups can live in harmony," he said.

The prime minister said that the people had given a clear mandate to the freedom alliance due to the destruction caused to the country during the last two years.

"Therefore, we have a great responsibility to safeguard this country, bring peace and development to the country and also to implement our election manifesto," he said.

Rajapakse was sworn in on Tuesday before President Chandrika Kumaratunga whose United People's Freedom Alliance defeated formerPrime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party in theApril 2 parliamentary election.

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