Stating the foreign policy of Sri Lanka is neutral and non-aligned, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said, he is not ready to compromise the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nation when it comes to maintaining foreign relations, whatever the circumstances may be.
A high-level U.S. delegation led by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in the country on 27 October and met President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (28). During the discussion, views on a number of areas of bilateral and regional importance were exchanged.
President Rajapaksa also said what Sri Lanka wants is not obtaining loans continuously, but to achieve a high level of economic growth, by attracting more foreign investment.
“We have already begun to remove bureaucratic red tape that hinders foreign investment. Sri Lanka is a country that possesses necessary factors to achieve a high agricultural development. Our agriculture sector should be modernised. Scientific research should be conducted to reach this goal. We expect your assistance towards this,” President Rajapaksa pointed out.
Noting that China assisted in the development of the country’s infrastructure since the end of the separatist war, the President reiterated that Sri Lanka was not caught in a debt trap as a result.
During the discussion, they further agreed to strengthen the defence cooperation between Sri Lanka and the U.S. These include training opportunities and material assistance from the US to security forces personnel in Sri Lanka.
When the President emphasised the need to strengthen the Coast Guard services to combat drug trafficking, Pompeo said the U.S. could assist in this endeavour.
U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz, Under Secretary of State Brian Bulatao, Chief Assistant Deputy Secretary at Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Dean Thompson, Senior Advisor to the State Secretary Mary Kissel were the other members of the US delegation.
Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardena, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Relations Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador-designate to the U.S. Ravinatha Aryasinha were also present during the discussion.
(BGS)