Over 25 investigations on MR family says Mangala

Over 25 investigations are underway related to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa or his family members, Foreign Minister?Mangala Samaraweera told Parliament today.

The Foreign Minister said that Rajapaksa and his family are?also being investigated for money stored in offshore bank accounts.

He says the investigations will however take time as there are barricades when attempting to access foreign bank accounts.

Samaraweera said that Sri Lanka needs to have discussions with the relevant foreign Governments to gain access to the bank accounts and that process will take time.

He said that overall there are 725 investigations being conducted into members and officials from the former Government.

The Foreign Minister also?said that relations with China still remain strong?adding that?historically China and Sri Lanka have maintained a strong relationship.

He said that apart from China, the new Sri Lankan government is also maintaining a strong relationship with the United States and India.

Samaraweera said that from the day the new Government took office it has improved its foreign policy and established close relationships with several countries.

The Foreign Minister said that leaders from the UK and Canada had even sought meetings with Sri Lanka?s President Maithripala Sirisena during a recent visit he undertook to Malta and France for two separate events.?(Colombo Gazette)