Sri Lanka says it stands ready to work with the United States to advance mutual interests, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora.
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena expressed these views in a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
In the letter, the Foreign Minister conveyed his heartiest felicitations and greetings on the auspicious occasion of the 245th anniversary of Independence of the United States of America.
“Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1948, Sri Lanka’s ties with the United States have continued to expand and flourish across a range of areas of mutually beneficial cooperation. I remain confident that this multifaceted and vibrant partnership will be further consolidated and deepened in the years ahead for the betterment of our two countries and peoples,” Gunawardena said.
He said the Government and people of Sri Lanka deeply appreciate the invaluable support and assistance extended by the United States for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic, including US President Biden’s recent initiative to donate millions of doses of surplus vaccines to countries in need, including Sri Lanka.
The relationship between the US and Sri Lanka has been on rocky ground after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power in 2019.