US-SL to lift bilateral ties to new height

The United States has assured its fullest support to Sri Lanka’s economic development and reconciliation while emphasizing that Washington wishes to take bilateral relations with the island nation to a new height.

The newly appointed US Ambassador to Colombo, Atul Keshap, conveyed best wishes from President Barack Obama and Secretary State John Kerry to President Maithriapala Sirisena.

Keshap was among three new Ambassadors who presented their credentials to President Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat today (August 21), the other two being Italian Ambassador Paolo Andrea Bartorelli and the Netherlands Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard.

President Sirisena, referring to close bilateral relations with Sri Lanka and the countries represented by the new envoys expressed confidence that they would strive to further strengthen bilateral friendship and cooperation in many areas including trade, investment and tourism.

The President also recalled the close economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and the three counties represented by the new Ambassadors, the Presidential Media Unit said. 

Thanking them for the continuous assistance provided for Sri Lanka’s economic development by the United States, Italy and the Netherlands, the President also expressed gratitude for the support given by those countries in international forums.

The three ambassadors congratulated President Sirisena for holding a democratic, free and fair general election earlier this week. 

Italian Ambassador Bartorelli said his country could learn from the Sri Lankan democratic election process. “I was amazed at the way Sri Lankan people were genuinely committed to the democratic election process,” he said.

American Ambasador Keshap conveyed best wishes from President Obama and Secretary State John Kerry to President Sirisena and assured the fullest US support to Sri Lanka’s economic development and reconciliation. He said that his country wishes to take bilateral relations with Sri Lanka to a new height.

The Netherlands Ambassador Ms Doornewaard assured the President that her country was ready to assist Sri Lanka’s development activities and offered support for implementation of President Sirisena’s economic and development policies.