Croatian muscle for Lankan Navy

Sri Lanka and Croatia are exploring the possibility of setting up a joint venture to build ships for the SLN.

Authoritative sources said Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda during a recent visit to Croatia had discussed the proposed venture which would also involve the Colombo Dockyard Limited (CDL).

Karannagoda’s visit had been preceded by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake’s tour of Croatia, the sources said, expressing confidence the project would be a reality and facilitate Sri Lanka’s efforts to enhance the operational capacity and capability of the SLN.

The SLN destroyed eight LTTE floating arsenals in separate operations conducted on the high seas beginning September 2006 to early October 2007. The sources said although the SLN had maximised the use of available assets to weaken the enemy’s ability to bring in fresh consignments of arms and ammunition, the need to acquire additional platforms couldn’t be further delayed, the sources said.

The sources said the SLN needed a range of vessels to strengthen the existing fleet to thwart Sea Tiger operations on the high seas and in the Palk Straits. A bilateral agreement between the two countries to build fighting vessels would be advantageous to Sri Lanka, a senior official said.

Read more,
http://www.island.lk/2008/06/09/news1.html

Naval and Maritime Academy of SLN reaches Par Excellence

Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA) of the Sri Lanka Navy, located in the scenic harbour in Trincomalee, the panoramic port city in the eastern coast of the island, has now reached the standard of par excellence being awarded the prestigious ISO (International Standards Organization) 9001:2000 quality management system certification from the Sri Lanka Standard Institutions, today- the 07th March 2008. The event takes place in a charming but proud ceremony held at the Academy today.

Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, sending a felicitation message to the Naval and Maritime Academy, states that “We are extremely proud that the NMA is the first defence institutions in the country to achieve this international recognition”.

The chairman of the Sri Lanka Standard Institution, Dr. ARL Wijesekara, in his felicitation message, while complimenting the esteemed standard it received, states “This prestigious certification award you have received, will undoubtedly, equip the academy to produce professionals of the highest calibre”.

Read more,
http://www.navy.lk/index.php?id=725

Sri Lanka Navy Participated in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

The inaugural event of a newly launched cooperative, consultative and inclusive regional initiative titled the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) which started on the 14th of February came to a conclusion yesterday (18) in New Delhi. The IONS can be seen as a closer model of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS).

Sri Lanka Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda was invited to participate in this inaugural INOS which seek to provide a regional conversation among the Naval Chiefs of all the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Twenty eight countries including Sri Lanka took part in initial discussions which aims at drafting a Charter to enhance the Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean which is considered as a vital sea area to the protection of Sea Lines of Communication around the world. The drafted Charter would be ratified after a period of six months following amendments if necessary.

Read more,
http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/9681

Sethu project: Beware of LTTE, says Lankan Navy chief

Sri Lankan Navy chief Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda on Thursday sought international cooperation to deal with the threat posed by the LTTE and claimed that patrolling would have to be increased if India’s Sethusamundram shipping channel project is implemented.

Wasantha Karannagoda, who is in New Delhi to take part in Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, claimed that the LTTE has been a threat for Sri Lanka but if its activities were not checked the group will pose problems for other countries.

He said the Sri Lankan Navy has been successful in countering the LTTE. Welcoming the Indian Navy’s initiative to bring together sea forces of the Indian Ocean region, he said such a cooperation will help in forming a joint strategy to deal with threats posed by terrorists.

Read more,
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?

Sri Lanka to take up sea attack issue with India

The chief of the Sri Lankan Navy is to take up the issue of an attack against a Sri Lankan naval ship from a flotilla of Indian fishing boats, a government spokesman here said Wednesday.

Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, who is currently on an official visit to India, would raise the issue, among other things, with Indian officials, spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters.

The Sri Lankan Navy said Feb 5 that up to six sailors had gone missing after a naval boat was fired upon from a flotilla of 400 Indian fishing boats, which were poaching off the seas off Talaimannar in the north.

Read more,
http://www.indiaenews.com/srilanka/20080213/97510.htm

Sri Lanka Navy Chief says Prabhakaran not in a position to lead his organization

Sri Lanka Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda claimed that the LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was not capable of leading his organisation due to immense pressure from the armed forces.

With reference to intelligence reports the Commander said that Prabhakaran is either injured or indisposed. He made this comment at an interview with a local television channel. He also said “The victory is coming soon but I don’t want to indicate an exact time frame.”

The Navy Chief also said he did not believe the LTTE could come back as long as the three armed forces, the police and the civil defence force acted in unison.

Read more,
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_08/February2151115JV.html

Countering LTTE: India admits helping Lanka

For the first time in recent years, India has acknowledged helping the Sri Lankan navy in its operations against the Tamil Tigers.

Indian Navy chief Adm Sureesh Mehta said in the capital on Wednesday that India has been helping Sri Lanka.

''There is no direct support. We support by checking our activities on their coast and their activities on ours. In this way we help ourselves by helping them,'' said Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Navy Chief.

In Colombo, Sri Lankan Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda has confirmed what the Indian Navy chief said in New Delhi.

Read more,
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080038643&ch=1/16/2008%202:41:00%20PM