New Zealand FM not visiting Sri Lanka
August 15, 2013 10:55 am
The New Zealand Consulate in Colombo today rejected reports claiming that the Foreign Minister of New Zealand, Murray McCully will undertake a visit to Sri Lanka, to discuss the controversial ban on Fonterra’s milk powder.
The Foreign Minister of New Zealand has made no such decision to visit the country, Senaka Silva, the Consul General for New Zealand in Sri Lanka told Ada Derana.
Foreign media reports had recently said alleged that Minister McCully is likely to visit the island nation next week to discuss Sri Lanka’s ban on 39 tonnes of Fonterra’s milk powder.
Sri Lanka’s Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) had revealed the powder contained the dangerous fertiliser chemical dicyandiamide (DCD), which Fonterra and New Zealand scientists are disputing.
They say ITI doesn’t have the technology to test for DCD, tests in New Zealand have been negative and farmers stopped using the chemical last year.
Mr McCully has been talking to the Sri Lankan authorities about the ban and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key expects Mr McCully will go to Sri Lanka at the end of the week after visiting China, the Associated Press had reported.
However, Consul Senaka Silva said there is no truth to the reports.
The Foreign Minister of New Zealand has made no such decision to visit the country, Senaka Silva, the Consul General for New Zealand in Sri Lanka told Ada Derana.
Foreign media reports had recently said alleged that Minister McCully is likely to visit the island nation next week to discuss Sri Lanka’s ban on 39 tonnes of Fonterra’s milk powder.
Sri Lanka’s Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) had revealed the powder contained the dangerous fertiliser chemical dicyandiamide (DCD), which Fonterra and New Zealand scientists are disputing.
They say ITI doesn’t have the technology to test for DCD, tests in New Zealand have been negative and farmers stopped using the chemical last year.
Mr McCully has been talking to the Sri Lankan authorities about the ban and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key expects Mr McCully will go to Sri Lanka at the end of the week after visiting China, the Associated Press had reported.
However, Consul Senaka Silva said there is no truth to the reports.
