Oct 28, 2020 (LBO) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that the strong sovereign Sri Lanka is a powerful and strategic partner for the United States on the world stage and it can be a beacon for a free and open indo-pacific which is quite a contrast to what china seeks.
“We see from bad deals, violations of sovereignty, and lawlessness on land and sea. The Chinese communist party is a predator and the United States comes in a different way we come as a friend and as a partner,” Pompeo said addressing a joint press conference with his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena after bilateral talks.
“The United States seeks to strengthen our partnership with democratic peaceful prosperous and fully sovereign Sri Lanka. We had a wide-ranging discussion on our security cooperation which helps keep some of the world's most vital sea lanes open.”
The top US diplomat pointed out that he is looking forward to working with the people of Sri Lanka on the economic front as the people of the entire world will need the power of private industry to regain the economic footing.
“We talked about our economic relationship. As I conveyed today, good governance, transparency, and policy consistency will attract even more American investment. Those principles are deeply consistent with Sri Lanka's history; its heritage as the oldest democracy in Asia,” he said.
“Great American companies that are here today, brands like Coke, Oracle and IBM are here creating high-quality jobs. These American companies are the most reliable partners on the planet. They're accountable to the law and they're transparent. They are assets to the communities in which they operate.”
US Secretary of State also added that he had a very positive conversation with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
“In his victory speech last year President Rajapaksa stated that he is the President of all citizens not of only those who voted for him and as our two nations move forward the United States is counting on those words to hold true,” he emphasized.
“We fully expect that Sri Lanka will fulfill its pledges to take meaningful concrete steps to promote accountability, justice, and reconciliation.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit comes in the backdrop of China's growing influence in Sri Lanka.
Related: China & Sri Lanka do not need third party to handle relations with each other: China tells US
Statement