Lanka tells US: Military will be ‘right-sized’

The Sri Lankan military will be right-sized gradually and afterwards it will be set up for their classic role, the State Minister of Defence, Premitha Bandara Tennakoon, said during a discussion held with Afreen Akhter, the Deputy Assistant Secretary (Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs) of the U.S. Department of State.

Responding to steps taken, concerning defence reforms, he expressed these remarks to Deputy Assistant Secretary Akhter during a meeting held in Colombo, on Monday.

Recalling supportive measures extended by the government of the US State Minister Tennakoon also discussed avenues accessible to strengthen military to military and further defence cooperation between the two countries.

The fruitful bilateral discussion also included U.S. efforts to assist Sri Lanka in enhancing maritime domain awareness and maritime security and also Sri Lanka’s efforts to put forward maritime security and other regional issues in the defence policy.

The State Minister was keen on avenues available for armed forces personnel to engage in the overseas missions, during the session.

Ensuing the discussion Deputy Assistant Secretary Akhter presented a memento to the State Minister Tennakoon as a symbolic gesture and to mark the fruitful discussion.

Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, Douglas E. Sonnek, Embassy officials and officers of the State Ministry of Defence, were also present.