Issuing a statement Friday, the Sri Lankan Ministry of External Affairs said that despite the private nature of the visit of Dr. Fox, it had made all arrangements to provide the necessary protocol assistance and facilitation to Dr. Fox during his planned stay in Sri Lanka.
The UK Defence Secretary cancelled his visit to the island this weekend citing a busy schedule due to an extension to his scheduled official visit to the Gulf.
Dr. Fox was scheduled to deliver the Lakshman Kadirgamar memorial lecture scheduled on December 18 at the invitation by the widow of the late Sri Lankan Foreign Minister who was gunned down by the LTTE in 2005.
"Despite the private nature of the visit, due to the status of the visitor and the important nature of the Oration, the Ministry in association with the other concerned agencies of Government had made all arrangements to provide the necessary protocol assistance and facilitation to Dr. Fox during his planned stay in Sri Lanka," the External Affairs Ministry confirming that Dr. Fox cancelled the visit said in the statement.
"These same arrangements will be afforded, in the event of the Foundation rescheduling the Oration by Dr. Fox for a future date," the Ministry added.
British media reported that the British Defence Secretary had been pressured by the Foreign Secretary William Hague to scrap the trip and the Foreign Office was debating whether to appeal to the Prime Minister to prevent Fox from visiting Sri Lanka.
Dr. Fox has however said that he intends to carry out an official visit to Sri Lanka next year during which he proposes to fulfill the speaking engagement that he had planned.
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