Australia: healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva who in on an official tour of Australia is scheduled to meet the Australia Prime Minister John Howard within the next two days to discuss the issue of banning LTTE activities in Australia, according to a Ministry media release.

Minister de Silva is expected to discuss with the Australia Government official the preliminaries necessary to prepare the ground for that purpose specially in view of the Lankan Government's successful progress towards the suppression of terrorism in the North and the East, the Ministry said yesterday. Minister De Silva expects to explain to the Australia prime Minister the Sri Lankan Government's anxiety to find a political solution to the North-East problem, its dedication to the peace process and the cooperation of the international community to achieve these ends.

 Minister de Silva met the leaders of the state of Victoria, yesterday and discussed the improvements to the neurology Surgical Unit and the Accident Unit of the Karapitiya General Hospital, Galle. Victoria pledged aid to the tune of Rs. 500 million to improve the Accident service Surgical Unit of the Karapitiya Hospital. In addition, Minister de Silva expects to meet the Health Minister and the Health Secretary of the Central Government of Australia in Canberra on Tuesday and seek the Australian Government's support to sponsor post graduate scholarships for Sri Lankan specialist physicians and also training of lecturers who are expected to train recruits to five grades in the paramedical service.

Media and Information Minister Anura priyadarsana Yapa who is accompanying Minister de Silva will address a series of lectures in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne to make expatriate Sri Lankans aware of the present political atmosphere in Sri Lanka.

Minister Anura Priyadarsana Yapa and MPs Piyasiri Wijenayake, P. Harrison, and Lakshman Senaviratne who are members of the delegation led by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva are expected to meet the legislators of the States of Canberra, Victoria and Sydney as well as those of the Central Government of Australia to study and share their experiences and see how far they can be adopted in the Sri Lankan Legislature.

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