Wednesday, 5 November 2003 |
Editorial |
News Business Features Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries | Please forward your comments to the Editor, Daily News. Email : [email protected] Snail mail : Daily News, 35, D.R. Wijewardana Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Telephone : 94 1 429429 / 421181 Fax : 94 1 429210 Forging ahead with a valued tie In what could be described as another high-point in his political career, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would be meeting US President George Bush today for extended talks. As explained by Minister Milinda Moragoda, this one-to-one meeting between the leaders would be no mere public relations exercise. It, on the contrary, underscores the principal importance the Government attaches to continued cordial US-Lanka relations. In fact, we have all the evidence here that sound relations with the US have been elevated to cornerstone status in Sri Lanka's foreign policy. The reasons for this special emphasis on durable US-Lanka relations in our foreign policy calculations are plain to see. To begin with, the US has proved a staunch ally of Sri Lanka in the current peace effort. From the inception of the peace process, the US has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Sri Lanka in the latter's efforts to forge ahead towards a negotiated settlement. In fact, in a statement issued just after the LTTE submitted its ISGA proposals, the US said that "with a constructive approach and willingness to compromise, we continue to believe that a negotiated solution to the conflict is possible." This alone speaks volumes for the goodwill the US is continuing to extend to Sri Lanka. Therefore, Premier Wickremesinghe's meeting with the US President today could be seen as further cementing the cordial relationship existing between the countries. By giving priority status to our ties with the US, the Government has also highlighted the pragmatic foundation of its foreign policy. Needless to say, the crumbling of the Cold War era has further enabled the governments of the world to establish their ties with the US on this footing. The countries of the Third World in particular, enjoy much more autonomy in the fashioning of their foreign policy on account of Cold war ideological shackles coming apart with the demise of the Cold War. Being one of the world's foremost economic, scientific and technological powers, the US recommends itself as a state with immense attractions for those countries which are forging ahead on the path of economic development. The technological and scientific resources of the US in particular prove prime attractions for those states of the Third World which are seeking to "leap-frog" into the 21st century. It shouldn't come as a surprise, therefore, that strong US-Lanka links in Information Technology and biotechnology, for instance, are figuring prominently at present in US-Lanka deliberations. Not to be forgotten are the trade links which are sought to be strengthened between our countries. There is no doubt that this important input into US-Lanka relations would enable the latter to bolster her economic strength and introduce greater diversity to her economic links with the US. Having with us the American Peace Corps would enable these personnel to disseminate their knowledge in areas such as IT and English at grass roots level, for, it is here that poverty and need are felt most acutely. Thus we see a multi-dimensional relationship being established which would serve our future well. |
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