Hopeful of foreign aid

Minister Amunugama told a news conference that at least two billion dollars are needed for the next three years to provide relief to tsunami affected people.

"The government has already received aid to the tune of 55 million dollars and we are hopeful of getting more", he said.

Minister Amunugama said though progress could not be made in the peace process and no agreement reached on the 'tsunami joint mechanism', country will not revert back to a war situation.

"All parties in the coalition government and major opposition parties are committed to peace", he said.

Commenting on the forthcoming international donor meeting, he said the first day of the meeting will focus fully on tsunami aid and the second day on other development programmes.

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge will deliver the key not address at the two day meeting in Kandy which begins on Monday, the 16th of May.