JO wants info on current SoFA negotiations

Thursday, 18 July 2019 02:18 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Questions PM statement to Parliament that no SoFA signed but talks between SL and US ongoing
Insists more transparency needed on talks between the two governments
Says SoFA will dent SL relationship with India and China

Highlighting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s statement in Parliament that the Government is in negotiations regarding a Status of Forces Agreement (SoFA), the Joint Opposition (JO) yesterday called for more information to be released to the public on the nature of the talks between the US and Sri Lanka.

JO Parliamentarian Vasudeva Nanayakkara, speaking to media at the Opposition Leader’s office on Wednesday, said questions regarding SoFA remained. The JO pointed out that even though the Prime Minister’s office, in a letter on 6 July, stated there was no SoFA, because such a document had not been presented to Cabinet, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe told Parliament four days later that even though such an agreement had not been signed, there were talks between the two governments.

Nanayakkara argued that though the Prime Minister had said there was no SoFA, concerns remained of the nature of the ongoing talks mentioned by Wickremesinghe in Parliament. Nanayakkara argued that if Sri Lanka signs a SoFA, it would align the country closer to the US, and create a power imbalance in the South Asian region, which is finely poised between the US, India, and China.

“If Sri Lanka signs a SoFA, that will pave the way for the US to establish a military base, which they might use to expand control over the Indian Ocean. If the US tries to take more control that might damage our relationship with India and China, which is not healthy for us. Therefore I think singing SoFA is an unnecessary risk,” he said.

Nanayakkara argued a SoFA would only benefit the US and not Sri Lanka, as it will affect Sri Lanka’s historical non-aligned foreign policy stance, and potentially complicate its sensitive relations with India and China.

Meanwhile, JO MP Pavithra Wanniarachchi told reporters at Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Head Office that the increase in wheat flour prices will push up the cost of living and place more burdens on the public, which she charged the Government has failed to address.

“Price of wheat flour has been increased, which directly affects each and every household. If the Government properly manages the economy, they can keep the price of essential goods at a steady price, but the Government has spent millions of taxpayers’ money for propaganda for the upcoming elections, which they promised to stop during their election campaign,” Wanniarachchi said.