Sri Lanka, as a sovereign, free, independent nation, will maintain a neutral, non-aligned, and friendly foreign policy, said Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardena.
The remarks came during the joint press conference held by the Foreign Minister and his US counterpart Michael R. Pompeo yesterday (28).
The US Secretary of State arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday night (27), upon completion of his official visit in India. He met with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last morning.
Delivering his speech, Minister Gunawardena went on to say that Sri Lanka will be conscious of the opportunities and responsibilities that come with its strategic location.
[caption id="attachment_103125" align="alignleft" width="300"]
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardena at a joint press conference, Colombo, 28 October 2020. Photo Lalith Perera[/caption]
“We see the importance of maintaining the freedom of navigation in our seas and air space and also protecting the sea lines of communication and undersea cables. We believe all countries should adhere to and respect international law including the UN (United Nations) Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
Speaking on the bilateral relations between the US and Sri Lanka, the Minister said the two nations have nurtured strong relations for over seven decades, founded on shared values of democracy and socioeconomic orientation.
The relations between the people of the two countries go back as far as the mid-1800s, predating the formal establishment of diplomatic relations, he said, adding that over the years, these engagements have significantly matured into a multifaceted relationship covering political, economic, educational, cultural, and defence affairs including maritime matters as well as equally important people-to-people interactions.
Thanking the US State Secretary’s decision to visit the island nation amidst the formidable challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Foreign Minister told Pompeo: “Your wide-ranging discussions with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and our own discussions have generated a renewed momentum to the conversation key American interlocutors have had with Sri Lankan leaders over the past months this year.”
Minister Gunawardena, commenting on the two major electoral processes – the presidential and parliamentary elections – recently held in Sri Lanka, said: “These elections reflect the people’s mandate to safeguard the unitary state, sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, and economic progress, presenting a clear opportunity for all our friendly nations, especially the United States to join in our forward journey for a stable, secure country with economic advancement.”
The US is one of Sri Lanka’s major development partners, with over $ 2 billion worth of development assistance in wide-ranging areas including agriculture, environment, natural resources, health, education, business development, trade, and humanitarian assistance, he said further. “The US remains Sri Lanka’s largest single markets with exports of $ 3.1 billion in 2019, and even the present context of Covid-19-related market downturn remains in a smaller position with $ 1.1 billion for the first half of this year.”
“The US has been a friend and assisting Sri Lanka in times of difficulty and we remain deeply grateful for your support,” he went on to say.
The Foreign Minister expressed his gratitude to the US for extending assistance to Sri Lanka following the tsunami disaster in 2004. He also recalled the assistance rendered by North America in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks on 21 April 2019, as well as during the Covid-19 outbreak.
“I also extend my sincere thanks and appreciation once again for proscribing the LTTE terrorist organisation even before the 9/11 attack and up to now.”
The Foreign Minister noted that today’s two-way discussions are a continuation of interactions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with key US interlocutors and the dialogue which took place virtually between himself and Secretary Pompeo several months ago. He said it was an opportunity for both sides to understand each other’s priorities, share insights, and consider steps to further elevating bilateral engagement on agreed areas of co-operation.
“In furtherance of making the bilateral relations more robust, we have agreed to convene the next sessions of the US-Sri Lanka partnership dialogue in early 2021,” the Foreign Minister added. “Progress on several areas including economic, defence, and research through intensified co-ordination (sic). Next sessions of the joint council for the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement will also be convened on the earliest possible time frame.”
Minister Gunawardena added that it was also considered opportune to broaden the bilateral engagement in areas such as ICT (information and communications technology), cybersecurity, agriculture, science technology, innovations, trade and investments, business, and climate change.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardena at a joint press conference, Colombo, 28 October 2020. Photo Lalith Perera[/caption]
“We see the importance of maintaining the freedom of navigation in our seas and air space and also protecting the sea lines of communication and undersea cables. We believe all countries should adhere to and respect international law including the UN (United Nations) Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
Speaking on the bilateral relations between the US and Sri Lanka, the Minister said the two nations have nurtured strong relations for over seven decades, founded on shared values of democracy and socioeconomic orientation.
The relations between the people of the two countries go back as far as the mid-1800s, predating the formal establishment of diplomatic relations, he said, adding that over the years, these engagements have significantly matured into a multifaceted relationship covering political, economic, educational, cultural, and defence affairs including maritime matters as well as equally important people-to-people interactions.
Thanking the US State Secretary’s decision to visit the island nation amidst the formidable challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Foreign Minister told Pompeo: “Your wide-ranging discussions with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and our own discussions have generated a renewed momentum to the conversation key American interlocutors have had with Sri Lankan leaders over the past months this year.”
Minister Gunawardena, commenting on the two major electoral processes – the presidential and parliamentary elections – recently held in Sri Lanka, said: “These elections reflect the people’s mandate to safeguard the unitary state, sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, and economic progress, presenting a clear opportunity for all our friendly nations, especially the United States to join in our forward journey for a stable, secure country with economic advancement.”
The US is one of Sri Lanka’s major development partners, with over $ 2 billion worth of development assistance in wide-ranging areas including agriculture, environment, natural resources, health, education, business development, trade, and humanitarian assistance, he said further. “The US remains Sri Lanka’s largest single markets with exports of $ 3.1 billion in 2019, and even the present context of Covid-19-related market downturn remains in a smaller position with $ 1.1 billion for the first half of this year.”
“The US has been a friend and assisting Sri Lanka in times of difficulty and we remain deeply grateful for your support,” he went on to say.
The Foreign Minister expressed his gratitude to the US for extending assistance to Sri Lanka following the tsunami disaster in 2004. He also recalled the assistance rendered by North America in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks on 21 April 2019, as well as during the Covid-19 outbreak.
“I also extend my sincere thanks and appreciation once again for proscribing the LTTE terrorist organisation even before the 9/11 attack and up to now.”
The Foreign Minister noted that today’s two-way discussions are a continuation of interactions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with key US interlocutors and the dialogue which took place virtually between himself and Secretary Pompeo several months ago. He said it was an opportunity for both sides to understand each other’s priorities, share insights, and consider steps to further elevating bilateral engagement on agreed areas of co-operation.
“In furtherance of making the bilateral relations more robust, we have agreed to convene the next sessions of the US-Sri Lanka partnership dialogue in early 2021,” the Foreign Minister added. “Progress on several areas including economic, defence, and research through intensified co-ordination (sic). Next sessions of the joint council for the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement will also be convened on the earliest possible time frame.”
Minister Gunawardena added that it was also considered opportune to broaden the bilateral engagement in areas such as ICT (information and communications technology), cybersecurity, agriculture, science technology, innovations, trade and investments, business, and climate change.