China to figure prominently in Pompeo’s talks with Gotabaya, Mahinda

BY S VENKAT NARAYAN

Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, October 23:

China will figure prominently in the confabulations United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will have with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa during his brief visit to Colombo next week.

This was indicated by senior US Administration officials during a teleconference on Friday.

Pompeo arrives in Colombo from New Delhi on Wednesday. He will meet with President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. He will “emphasize the US commitment to a strong, independent, and democratic Sri Lanka.  We want to partner with Sri Lanka on our shared goals of sustainable economic development and a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the officials said.

“In the interest of strengthening our longstanding partnership with Sri Lanka and reinforcing our long-term commitment to the region, we encourage Sri Lanka to review the options we offer for transparent and sustainable economic development in contrast to discriminatory and opaque practices,” they added. 

The officials further said: “We urge Sri Lanka to make difficult but necessary decisions to secure its economic independence for long-term prosperity, and we stand ready to partner with Sri Lanka for its economic development and growth.

“The Secretary will also emphasize the ties between our people, our shared commitment to democracy, and the importance of our ongoing regional maritime security cooperation.  We’ll continue to urge Sri Lanka to advance democratic governance, human rights, reconciliation, religious freedom, and justice, which promote the country’s long-term stability and prosperity and ensure the dignity and equality of all Sri Lanka’s diverse communities.”

Question:  The Sri Lankan Parliament gave new powers to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. There’s been some criticism in Parliament that this marks an authoritarian turn.  To what extent are you concerned about the trajectory of human rights and democracy in Sri Lanka? 

Answer:  Obviously, we watch closely developments in Sri Lanka on these fronts, and the Secretary will, of course, be raising issues related to human rights, reconciliation, and our common commitment to democracy. Our partnership with Sri Lanka goes back a long way, through a lot of different eras, and right now, we think they’re at a point to make some choices about where they head.

Question: To what extent do you think the Rajapaksas’ relationship with China might abet this trajectory? To what extent do you think the warm relationship that the Rajapaksas have with China might allow them to take less democratic moves? 

Answer: I think we’re looking to frame a discussion with them about a more positive trajectory. So, definitely we’ll be discussing where they’re headed and looking for ways to strengthen their commitment to human rights, rule of law, and democracy.

Pompeo will arrive in Colombo on Wednesday from New Delhi after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He and US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper arrive here on Monday for the third round of 2+2 talks with their Indian counterparts External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

From Colombo, Pompeo and his team will travel to Male in Maldives. The officials said the US has enjoyed an increasingly close relationship with Maldives since establishing diplomatic ties over 50 years ago. Pompeo will meet with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, “who’ve been instrumental to Maldives’ strengthened democratic institutions and civil society.”

The officials said: “We’re proud to have supported these efforts over many years. We’re also proud of our partnership with Maldives on regional security issues and to combat terrorism. We look forward to additional opportunities to advance our relationship, including a significant milestone in the US-Maldives relationship that Secretary Pompeo will announce during his trip.”