President Chandrika Kumaratunga was deeply saddened to learn of the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar late last night. While condemning this act of terror, the President states that her government will not be bowed by such heinous acts of violence and will spare no effort to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act to justice.

A state of national emergency has been declared to facilitate enhanced security measurers and effective investigations of this act of wanton terror.

"Lakshman Kadirgamar was a national leader who combined intellectual vigour, political courage and personal integrity of the highest calibre. He was deeply committed to a political settlement that upholds pluralism and democracy within a united Sri Lanka. During the eleven year tenure of his leadership of Sri Lankan foreign policy, the nation achieved incomparable success in its international relations, which culminated in the LTTE being proscribed in many foreign countries," the President noted.

"He was a hero of our times. He waged a relentless struggle against terrorism in all its forms, despite continuous threats to his life."

Lakshman Kadirgamar was felled by political foes opposed to the peaceful transformation of conflict and who were determined to undermine attempts towards a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict, she said.

President Kumaratunga shares in the sorrow and extends to Ms. Kadirgamar and members of Minister Kadirgamar’s family, her personal and the nation’s deepest sympathies at this time of grief. The President has declared a period of national mourning in honour of the late minister.

The President yesterday appointed a funeral committee headed by Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake.