Foreign Secretary meets visiting US Treasury and State Dept. delegation

Saturday, 2 July 2022 00:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Foreign Affairs Secretary Aruni Wijewardane on Tuesday met a senior delegation representing the United States Department of the Treasury and the Department of State led by the Treasury for Asia Deputy Assistant Secretary Robert Kaproth and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Ambassador Kelly Keiderling.

Foreign Secretary Wijewardane welcomed the strong and multifaceted bilateral partnership between the two countries which is mutually beneficial and contributes, inter alia, towards the wellbeing of the people of Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka side also discussed possible areas of support from the US in addressing the multiple challenges faced by Sri Lanka due to the prevailing economic situation in the country. The visiting delegation welcomed the opportunity to meet senior interlocutors of the Sri Lankan Government and discuss issues of relevance, as well as aspects of the long-term partnership of the US with Sri Lanka.The visiting delegation was accompanied by the Ambassador of the US to Sri Lanka Julie Chung and other officials from the US Department of Treasury, the US Department of State and the US Embassy in Colombo. Bilateral Affairs (West) Additional Secretary Manisha Gunasekera; Economic Affairs Director General Chandana Weerasena; and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director Americas Chatura Perera were associated with the Foreign Secretary at the meeting.

During their visit from 26 to 29 June 2022, the delegation also called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Foreign Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe and Secretary to the Treasury Mahinda Siriwardana.