Kandy - The Mahanayakes of Malwatte and Asgiriya told the new Sri Lankan Ambassador to Norway that it was primarily important to clear the misconceptions Norway had with regard to the just and fair treatment to all ethnic groups in Sri Lanka.

The prelates told the ambassador designate Rodney M. Perera that educating the people and the government of Norway on the equal treatment given to minority groups in Sri Lanka was important since Norway had been throughout supporting the LTTE terrorism relying on the false propaganda of the terrorist organisation and its allies.

Perera, accompanied by ambassadors appointed to Brazil M. M. A. Sardiq and Kenya Jayantha Dissanayake called on the chief prelates of Malwatte Most Ven. Tibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera and Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkita Thera on Monday.

Norway should be educated on all programmes and measures taken by the Sri Lanka government to rescue the Tamil civilians held as human shield by the LTTE terrorists, the prelates told the ambassadors.

The prelates said, Norway had throughout supported the LTTE in the guise of supporting the peace process in Sri Lanka.

The prelate of Asgiriya Most. Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakitha Thera said, Norway had under-estimated the status of Sri Lanka. The office of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oslo was recently attacked. No doubt they were LTTEers. It was due to lack of responsibility of the Norway administration that an embassy of another country was attacked.

It is important that the new Sri Lanka ambassador should tell them we did not ill-treat or discriminate against any ethnic or religious group, Sri Lanka had taking every possible step to rescue the civilian Tamils from the grip of the LTTE terrorists.

Even at the last moment of the LTTE defeat, terrorists were killing in cold blood the unarmed villagers in remote locations of Sri Lanka.

Prelates paid a tribute to the President, the armed forces and the civil administration officials for steps taken to rescue the civil Tamil citizens of the North from the grip of the terrorists.

Most Ven. Tibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of Malwatte said that in the past the Sri Lanka embassies in foreign countries were used as holiday homes.

Recalling the days of peace talks Most Ven. Asgiriya Maha Nayake Thera said that he had personally visited Kilinochchi sector to find that the people were left to live in poor shelters and schools in sheds while the LTTE leaders lived in comfortable luxury mansions.

Mr. Rodney M. Perera, ambassador designated for Norway said that he would take every possible step to the benefit of Sri Lanka.