Delivering the Olcott Oration at the Ananda College in Colombo on Saturday, the Defence Secretary said that though the LTTE had been defeated militarily, it was politically active overseas. Some military cadres who had escaped the war were also active, he said.

"The LTTE’s vast international network of sympathisers and criminal associates who funded and facilitated the organisation’s separatist activities are still operating outside Lanka," Rajapaksa said. In that context, it was important to develop ties with other countries, especially India, he said.

"The relationship developed over the past four years where our closest ally, India, helping us with our war against terrorism. Having their support helped reduce the pressure by other nations and thus we were able to proceed with our humanitarian operations. It is important that we strengthen this relationship further in the years to come."

Excerpts of his speech: "Bringing about the permanent defeat of separatism remains a top priority of His Excellency the President and the Government of Sri Lanka. Several initiatives have been taken in this regard. These include the strengthening of relations with key foreign nations and the collaboration of our intelligence services with their counterparts in other parts of the world. These efforts enabled us to capture Kumaran Pathmanadan, the newly appointed leader of the LTTE, within two months of the defeat of the terrorists in Sri Lanka. We need to continue these initiatives if we are to destroy the LTTE’s international network and ensure the confiscation of their assets.

From the very beginning, strengthening relationships with our key allies remained a top priority of the President. The relationship developed over the past four years with our closest ally, India helped us in many ways in our war against terrorism. Having their support greatly helped reduce the pressure mounted by other nations, which allowed us to proceed with our humanitarian operations unhindered. It is very important that we strengthen this key relationship even further in the years to come.

Significant support was also received from other key allies due to the efforts of His Excellency the President and the Government to strengthen our longstanding bilateral ties. They, too, helped us withstand the pressure being directed by the international community to leave the war unfinished. These countries also provided us vital material assistance towards the war effort, when barriers were put in place that prevented our obtaining military hardware from our western allies.

Although it had been virtually ignored in the past, South East Asia was another region we focused on. The close ties we developed with this important region helped us counter and obstruct the LTTE’s activities there. However, there is still a lot more to be done, and developing these relationships even further will be vital to our efforts to permanently dismantle the LTTE’s international network.