Colombo (IANS) | Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said India is a net security provider and protector of the region. Participating in an online interview conducted by Harvard University, President Wickremesinghe said that as a small country with a strong democratic tradition and an open economy, Sri Lanka has always maintained its political independence and the longest relations with its closest Neighboring India is seen as the savior of the region.
He said, “The other sticky issue, which we have to take into account, is the big power rivalry smoldering in the Indian Ocean, while our island has always maintained its political independence, India is considered the net security provider in the region and Sri Lanka is the immediate neighbor of.”
Wickremesinghe took over as the President of Sri Lanka after a serious political upheaval. The country was going through its worst economic crisis ever and public outcry forced former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country.
Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka’s objective was not big power rivalry in the region.
“We all want to make sure that we all work with India, China, America, Japan and everyone else,” he said.
He also emphasized that Sri Lanka would like to see that there is no conflict between India and China and between India and Pakistan.
Wickremesinghe said, “It is the most tense place in the world with three nuclear powers. None of us want to be in a situation where we have to choose between India and China if there is a confrontation.”
He said, “Then comes the third question about Sri Lanka and India and China. So far I think India and China want this issue to be bilateral and they have held it. Maybe indirectly by Russia and others intervened.”
President Wickremesinghe clarified, “Our job is to ensure that there is no confrontation and easing of relations. Now, it is going to be a difficult task when the Quad is working on one side and China on the other. West, Russia And although the scale of the conflict between China and India is in our part of the world, we are not involved in the Ukraine issue and have refrained from taking sides.”
He said, “The UK should not have a presence in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, because its military power could make things worse. I think in this region we will manage somehow. We don’t want things to get worse.” And we all want to make sure that we all work with India, China, America, Japan and everyone else.”
Responding to a question on the growing competition in the region between China and other countries, President Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka maintains close ties with all the members of the Quad and China as well.
–IANS
