There was no meeting scheduled between Prime Minister (PM) Mahinda Rajapaksa and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his brief visit to Sri Lanka last week as Pompeo had a very tight schedule before he flew to the Maldives, The Sunday Morning learnt.
State Minister of Regional Co-operation Tharaka Balasuriya said Pompeo had met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in his recent visit but did not have time to meet the PM, as he was to fly to the Maldives.
[caption id="attachment_34894" align="alignleft" width="300"]
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo[/caption]
However, during a media briefing held in Washington prior to the visit, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Dean R. Thompson said that Secretary Pompeo would meet with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on his visit to emphasise the US’ commitment to a strong, independent, and democratic Sri Lanka.
When contacted for clarification, PM’s Media Secretary Rohan Welivita said neither the US Embassy in Colombo nor the Foreign Ministry had sought for any time to meet the PM during Pompeo’s visit.
“He had given two slots and that was allocated to the President and the Foreign Minister,” he said.
Meanwhile, State Minister Balasuriya told The Sunday Morning that Pompeo’s visit was mainly to strengthen the mutual relationship between the US and Sri Lanka and during the two meetings held with President Rajapaksa and Minister Gunawardena no agreements were discussed or entered into verbally or in writing.
When asked about the motive of his visit to Sri Lanka, the State Minister noted that his visit to Sri Lanka was planned even before Covid-19 and got delayed due to the world pandemic and Sri Lanka was one destination on his tour to Asia.
He also said Pompeo’s visit had not affected any of the relationships maintained by Sri Lanka with any other country, especially with China, and reiterated Sri Lanka's non-aligned foreign policy.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo[/caption]
However, during a media briefing held in Washington prior to the visit, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Dean R. Thompson said that Secretary Pompeo would meet with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on his visit to emphasise the US’ commitment to a strong, independent, and democratic Sri Lanka.
When contacted for clarification, PM’s Media Secretary Rohan Welivita said neither the US Embassy in Colombo nor the Foreign Ministry had sought for any time to meet the PM during Pompeo’s visit.
“He had given two slots and that was allocated to the President and the Foreign Minister,” he said.
Meanwhile, State Minister Balasuriya told The Sunday Morning that Pompeo’s visit was mainly to strengthen the mutual relationship between the US and Sri Lanka and during the two meetings held with President Rajapaksa and Minister Gunawardena no agreements were discussed or entered into verbally or in writing.
When asked about the motive of his visit to Sri Lanka, the State Minister noted that his visit to Sri Lanka was planned even before Covid-19 and got delayed due to the world pandemic and Sri Lanka was one destination on his tour to Asia.
He also said Pompeo’s visit had not affected any of the relationships maintained by Sri Lanka with any other country, especially with China, and reiterated Sri Lanka's non-aligned foreign policy.