Speaking at the German National Day celebrations attended by several diplomats and politicians, at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, the German Ambassador Jürgen Weerth expressed hope that the Sri Lankan President would be awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for seeking a peaceful settlement.“Peace needs responsibility. Jeopardizing peace is irresponsible. War creates conditions for further war. Our global village has witnessed so many painful examples. Adopting a principle of preventive war can have catastrophic consequences. Even the most powerful nations have to learn that lesson,” the German Ambassador said.

European Union member-state Germany, former chairman of the bloc, yesterday impressed on the need for Sri Lanka to pursue a peaceful solution to the conflict and said the war must be terminated -- warning that conducting a preventive war could have catastrophic consequences.

Speaking at the German National Day celebrations attended by several diplomats and politicians, at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, the German Ambassador Jürgen Weerth expressed hope that the Sri Lankan President would be awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for seeking a peaceful settlement.“Peace needs responsibility. Jeopardizing peace is irresponsible. War creates conditions for further war. Our global village has witnessed so many painful examples. Adopting a principle of preventive war can have catastrophic consequences. Even the most powerful nations have to learn that lesson,” the German Ambassador said.

He said the international community would not impose a ceasefire or find a solution for the conflict in Sri Lanka adding that as citizens of the world the international community wanted to foster a political solution made in Sri Lanka, acceptable to all her citizens.

“Imagine today is December 2011 and we are gathered in Oslo. Imagine the words of the Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee Chairman – “The Nobel Peace Prize for 2011 is awarded to the President of the Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka. He was successful in seeking a peaceful settlement for the long drawn ethnic conflict in the South Asian Island,” the German ambassador optimistically said.

He said war must not be a means to achieve political ends and added that courageous, understanding and responsible citizens of Sri Lanka must bring their country back on the track of peace.

“Nobody else can do it,” the envoy said. Speaking at the celebrations, Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne said Sri Lanka would appreciate if the international community would support Sri Lanka’s initiatives and impress upon the LTTE to stop its acts of violence and came for talks.

“In this regard the government appreciates Germany’s support for the EU ban on the LTTE and requests practical implementation of the ban such as curbing fund raising in Germany,” the Minister said.

At the recent UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Germany, in line with the EU’s position, urged Sri Lanka - as a founding member of the HRC - to redouble its efforts to achieve a peacefully negotiated settlement of the internal conflict through the All Party Representatives Conference and to put an end to ongoing human rights violations, allegedly committed by the security forces.

Germany also urged the LTTE and paramilitary groups to refrain from continued acts of violence, civilian killings, extortion, abductions, arbitrary detention, disappearances and the recruitment of child soldiers.

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