Author: TELO Admin

Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar today (04) called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Highlighting that India’s economic support is critical to realize his vision of a prosperous Sri Lanka and meeting the aspirations of the people, President Dissanayake referred to the potential of export of renewable energy to India, which could help reduce production costs in Sri Lanka and create additional resources.

The President also noted the contribution of Indian tourists and recognized that this has the potential to grow further.

Briefing the President about ongoing initiatives in the field of energy production and transmission, fuel and LNG supply, solar electrification of religious places, connectivity, digital public infrastructure, health and dairy development, EAM Jaishankar highlighted that they would contribute to economic sustainability and provide new streams of revenue.

Regarding security and defence, the meeting brought out that the interests of India and Sri Lanka were closely intertwined. Their collaboration was in mutual interest and contributed to the stability and security of the region. The importance of a continuous dialogue that would promote trust, transparency and mutual sensitivity was recognized.

President Dissanayake reiterated that Sri Lankan territory would never be allowed to be used in a manner inimical to India’s security interests.

On Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring efforts, EAM Jaishnakar recalled that India had been supportive of Sri Lanka’s economic stability and recovery from the very start. It was the first country to give financing assurances, which enabled the IMF to finalize the Extended Fund Facility. He confirmed India’s support in the Official Creditors’ Committee in respect of Sri Lanka’s agreement with International Sovereign Bond holders. He noted that India is also willing to expedite the conclusion of its bilateral MoU with Sri Lanka and the President conveyed his appreciation in that regard.

EAM Jaishankar also raised the concerns pertaining to Indian fishermen who are detained in Sri Lanka and pressed for their early release, as well as of their boats, and reconsideration of the heavy fines imposed on them. He said that a humanitarian approach focused on livelihood issues would create a durable basis for addressing this matter. Noting that a meeting of the Joint Working Group on Fisheries and of the Fishermen Associations would be timely, EAM Jaishankar appreciated the release of 50 Indian fishermen today.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Amarasuriya, he underlined that the Government of India was prepared to respond to the training and capacity building requirements of Sri Lanka. Their discussion also focused on the benefits of digital public infrastructure.

EAM Jaishnakar conveyed India’s strong commitment to advance bilateral cooperation based on its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and SAGAR outlook during his meeting with Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath.

In this context, he assured that India’s ongoing development assistance to Sri Lanka through projects of Sri Lankan priority will be continued. He emphasized that India has offered to modernize the Kankesanthurai port through a grant to the tune of USD 61.5 million. He also conveyed that payments for 7 completed Line of Credit projects to the tune of USD 20 million could be converted into grants. India has also decided to gift 22 diesel locomotives to the Sri Lankan Railways.

With regard to the ethnic issue and the reconciliation process, EAM Jaishnakar reiterated India’s support for the aspirations of all communities, including Tamils, for equality, justice, dignity, peace while maintaining the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka.

He added that the full and effective implementation of the 13th Amendment of its Constitution and the early holding of Provincial Council elections will facilitate these objectives.

EAM Jaishankar also met former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa.

Indian Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Subramaniam Jaishankar, who arrived in Sri Lanka on an official visit this morning, has met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in separate meetings today.

Earlier today, Jaishankar had called on Sri Lanka’s new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo and also met with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Vijitha Herath at the Foreign Ministry.

Posting on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), after meeting Sri Lanka’s new prime minister, the Indian foreign minister said he conveyed good wishes for her new responsibility.

“Discussed Digital Public Infrastructure, training and capacity building. Agreed to work together to advance our partnership,” he said.

Following his meeting with Wickremesinghe, Jaishankar said he was glad to see the former President today and that he “thanked him for his efforts in advancing our ties in the last two years.”

The Indian Foreign Minister also said he “assured him that India will continue to commit to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and development.”

After meeting with former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Jaishankar said India appreciates his continued support for the India-Sri Lanka relationship.

The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, made a courtesy call on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (02) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The visit marked an important step in reinforcing the strong diplomatic relations between the two countries, said the President’s Media Division.

During the meeting, High Commissioner Patrick congratulated President Dissanayake on his recent election and conveyed the British government’s best wishes for his tenure.

He also conveyed personal congratulations and warm wishes from King Charles III and the Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer expressing their goodwill for the President’s leadership.

The High Commissioner expressed British government’s strong support for Sri Lanka’s efforts to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and emphasized the importance of collaboration in the education sector. He also conveyed the UK’s support towards the IMF programme and the debt restructuring process.

The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (02) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

The Ambassador extended his heartfelt congratulations to the President on his recent election victory and expressed China’s continued commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in its future endeavours, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

Ambassador Qi reaffirmed the Chinese government’s continued commitment to enhancing bilateral relations with Sri Lanka, emphasizing the significance of on-going collaborative projects.

He highlighted the active engagement of the China Development Bank (CDB) and EXIM Bank in supporting Sri Lanka’s development initiatives, the statement said.

Moreover, Ambassador Qi had assured that both institutions, as key commercial and bilateral creditors, will provide comprehensive assistance in the debt restructuring process, underscoring China’s dedication to supporting Sri Lanka’s economic stability and growth.

An electoral alliance between the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the United National Party (UNP) is now going to be a non-event, with each of them planning for different strategies to contest the upcoming General Elections, Daily Mirror learns.

Following defeat at the Presidential Election concluded on September 21, there were attempts to unite the two parties for a broad electoral alliance in view of the General Elections. The SJB led by Mr. Sajith Premadasa insisted that UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe should step down as a condition for a possible electoral pact. It stood in the way of uniting the two parties.

After that the UNP has now decided to forge ahead with the parties that backed Mr. Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election and form a broad alliance under the gas cylinder symbol.
Accordingly, Podujana Eksath Peramuna (People’s Alliance) led by Mr. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and the alliance led by former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, who is the leader of Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), will continue to remain aligned with the UNP to contest the General Elections.

A discussion was held with the Election Commission yesterday to allocate the gas cylinder symbol to the proposed new alliance, the ‘New Democratic Front’, which otherwise operates under the swan symbol.

“We decided to contest under a common symbol. That is the gas cylinder symbol. It has to be allocated to the new alliance which we all are party to,” he said.

Mr. Wickremesinghe used the gas cylinder symbol as an independent Presidential candidate. Otherwise, it is not a symbol so far assigned to any political party by the Election Commission. Once an election is declared, a political formation cannot be registered but a new symbol can be assigned to an existing party.

Meanwhile, an SJB source said it will contest the election under the leadership of Mr. Premadasa in alliance with the parties that stood with it at the Presidential Elections.