Sri Lanka (SL) should retain its commitment to meaningful devolution through preserving the 13th Amendment, visiting Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar said yesterday, insisting it was in SL’s interest that the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace and dignity are fulfilled.
Speaking at a joint press conference held at the Foreign Relations Ministry with Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunewardena, Dr. Jaishankar recalled that India had a long history of supporting the country’s reconciliation process and remains dedicated to taking bilateral engagement forward on multiple fronts.
Dr. Jaishankar made the comments after meeting with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. The top Indian diplomat is on a three-day visit to SL and will also meet the Prime Minister, Government officials, political and community leaders. Making Colombo his first port of call in 2021, India has again signalled the importance placed in the Indo-Lanka relationship under Prime Minister Modi’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, he said.
“Our support for the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka is longstanding, as indeed for an inclusive political outlook that encourages ethnic harmony. It is in Sri Lanka’s own interest that the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace and dignity within a united Sri Lanka are fulfilled. That applies equally to the commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government on meaningful devolution, including the 13th Amendment to the Constitution,” the Indian External Affairs Minister stated.
The Indian diplomat’s comments come as several key figures in the Government had earlier called for the 13th Amendment to be revoked and Provincial Council elections to be halted.
“We are now looking at post-COVID-19 cooperation and I carry back with me Sri Lanka’s interest in accessing vaccines from India,” Dr Jaishankar said. The Indian Minister highlighted the close cooperation between both countries since the COVID-19 pandemic, thanking SL for making arrangements to repatriate Indian nationals who were stranded in the Island.
“We focused on multiple areas of mutual cooperation in the identified sectors of economics, finance, trade, commerce, defence, security and fisheries, culture, and particularly on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the post-COVID era that we are moving forward to and efforts we have jointly taken since the outbreak last year,” Gunawardena said.
The Minister also thanked India for the assistance rendered to control the virus outbreak, repatriation of Sri Lankans from overseas and for loans and grants issued as assistance.
“There are many proposals under discussion, including in infrastructure, energy, connectivity, etc. Their early implementation is obviously in mutual interest and would definitely accelerate Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. Let me stress that Indian business is strongly interested in investing in Sri Lanka. We have discussed some important opportunities including in special zones for pharmaceutical manufacturing as also in tourism. I will ensure an early follow-up,” Dr. Jaishankar added.
Dr. Jaishankar did not comment on the controversial Colombo Port’s East Container Terminal (ECT), which India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan to develop. Trade unions and nationalist supporters of the Government have staged a protest against the move and have called on the Government to uphold their election promises of reviewing all previous agreements on infrastructure projects and not to provide control over national assets to foreign parties.
“There is also an interaction with the business community. To all of them, I carry the message of an India that will always be a dependable partner and reliable friend, open to strengthening its relationship with Sri Lanka on the basis of mutual trust, mutual interest, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity.”
Defence, Security and Fisheries-related topics will also be discussed during the visit.
“We stand ready to enhance Sri Lanka’s capabilities to meet growing maritime and security challenges,” stated Dr. Jaishankar.
(FT)