Commending President Maithripala Sirisena’s move to reach out to the new US President elect Donald Trump, seeking his assistance to untangle Sri Lanka’s Human Rights issues, Former Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said, the new US administration under Donald Trump will give new meaning to the war against terrorism.
In an interview with the Sunday Observer last week he said, ‘President elect Trump has a very practical perspective on terror related specific situations, he understands the need to eliminate terrorism, extremism and separatism, and in that context the rights of sovereign states.’
The former Foreign Minister said, “Although Trump had not been a politician and comes from outside the political make up, looking at his Cabinet it was apparent he is bringing in the Republican establishment fully behind him”. He added that Sri Lanka has a long history of working with Republican presidents.
The excerpts of the interview,
Q: United States will have a new President in the Oval office from January next year. It is more than apparent that Trump will not be a run of the mill head of State. Some have predicted he is a better choice than Obama or Hillary Clinton as far as Sri Lanka’s interests are concerned. Do you agree?
A: The Obama administration was on the promise of a moral judgment at a very high level. But, that philosophical cry of Obama’s administration did not realize its desired objective.
His commitment for Human Rights and democracy, though he tried on a lot of frontiers, did not respond well. His major areas of setback include the Chechen crisis, the Ukrainian issue, Afghan issue, the Libyan post dictator developments and the failure to restore normality in Iraq. In respect of the Syrian crisis, the Russians have virtually taken over US’s lead role.
Though the US brought in two consecutive resolutions on the Human Rights issues, at the time of our defeating LTTE terrorism in Sri Lanka, there was sufficient acknowledgement of our achievement, by the West. The West is now under siege by terrorism, people are demanding firm action by their respective leaders to secure their own borders, calling a blockade to any terrorist movement.
I think that’s the message on which Trump will have to ride. His statements made recently, reflect this thinking, when he says he will stop all illegal and unlawful acts, including immigration of undesirable candidates and interests. It will reflect well to consolidate a world order denouncing terrorism. It will give rise to sovereignty of states. This is a development Sri Lanka can hope for.
Q: Trump seems to display a completely different perspective on world affairs than the previous US leaders. Don’t you think Trump’s election to office merits drastic changes to our foreign policy ?
Although Trump had not been a politician and had not spoken on issues at the US Senate or the Congress or been a governor previously, and comes from outside the political make up, going by the recent appointments to the Cabinet, it is apparent he is bringing in the republican establishment, in the wake of his coming to power.
We had been working with the Republican establishment since the time of President Regan, through Bush senior and George W. Bush.
We have a history of about 20 years of relations with Republican presidents in the recent past. We know the figures in the Republican establishment.
Speculation is rife that Mitt Romney is coming into the fold as the new Secretary of State, it is a significant achievement by Trump to seal the Republican establishment behind him. But, as of today there is a shift of personality. The talk is that Congress woman Tulsi Gabbard is tipped to be the next Secretary of State. She too is not an outsider to the Republican establishment. By now the government should have been fully aware of Trump’s forward international relations policy framework.
I think he will take on major platforms within his command. He will not isolate allies.
He will have an inclusive arrangement on strong bi-lateral terms as well as a multilateral platform. He will reform the platform rather than moving out.
We will see a major US alliance in Europe and I think this can be studied from the appointments he has made and from his frank opinion on issues including firm action on terrorism, immigration and US economic and national interests.
We have to realize Trump is going to be a very consolidated president of the US. Henry Kissinger on CNN used a nice phrase, when he said, ‘He (Trump)will not bring any garbage to the presidency. He is fresh, he is a fresh thinker, it will be easy to build up alliances with him. He doesn’t have any historical demerits.’
There will be strong bi-lateral relations. There will be even transnational alliances, but US policy and US Supremacy will remain intact, while there will be a new approach. They will control the Middle East big time, because Trump is there to produce oil, Middle East economies will be affected and the US dollar is going to rise.
Q: Sri Lanka was trying to secure trade pacts with the world giant during the latter parts of the Obama administration. What have you to say?
A: Sri Lanka’s trade relations have not improved in any manner with the US during Obama’s tenure. There is a new niche you have to create right now. Trump will not look at Sri Lanka seriously, but Trump will look at India seriously to counter balance China. Sri Lanka will have to piggy back on India.
Q: Russia had welcomed the election of Donald Trump as the next US president and Trump had expressed similar sentiments during the election run up. If there were to be a tilt in the US policy on countries like Russia, will it benefit Sri Lanka ?
A: Russia can be a major distracting factor for the US, already Russia has demonstrated this with the Chechnya issue and Syrian factor. Russia is also getting closer to countries like Turkey. Obama did not have a good relationship with Israel.
Trump will build up relations to ensure that Russia will not be a distraction to US advancement. He needs to take control of this sector in an amicable manner to neutralize the threats posed by the Islamic State and other extremist groups. We must also canvass for new thinking on Sri Lanka’s campaign on elimination of terrorism.
Q: President Maithripala Sirisena has sought the intervention of US President elect to get the US sponsored, Sri Lanka co-sponsored, UN Human Rights resolution dropped. How ambitious is this call ?
The US sponsored Human Rights resolutions are a burning issue for Sri Lanka. which the government is currently grappling with. The President is right in bringing this issue up and speaking openly about what his country expected of the new leader.
This is a lifetime opportunity. There is a change and he has made a move at the right time. And he must canvass Sri Lanka’s position in whatever manner, putting the country before anything else.
Q: Can we expect a positive outcome of that request ?
Trump will set the US direction on a Republican course, with new thinking.
He will look at our case very objectively. President elect Trump has a very practical perspective on terror related specific situations, he understands the need to eliminate terrorism, extremism and separatism and in that context the rights of sovereign states.
I believe President Trump in the future, will look at it from a need based judgment more than that of a moral issue. It may apply to the US as well in the future.
As for now, we have seen US becoming a major factor in the domestic politics of Europe. The Europeans are calling their leaders to become more introvert in terms of national interest. And to give solutions to their own security issues, such as the IS threat and the current developments in Allepo.
Q: What is your take on US Vice President elect Mike Pence speaking to President Maithipala Sirisena on the phone and discussing mutual issues?
A: It is a positive sign of Donald Trump administration wanting to reach out to Sri Lanka, as evident from the telephone call made by Vice President elect Mike Pence to President Maithripala Sirisena. It is very important that Sri Lanka pitches the relationship with the United States of America which has both historical and current significance, and to retain the value of our relationship at a higher pedestal. If you are a friendly country with the US, you cannot have country specific resolutions, coming from a friendly country.
I think a new chapter now needs to be opened by the US towards Sri Lanka. An initiative coming from President Sirisena, striking this equation with the future president Trump is vital.
Therefore, I think this conversation should be treated as the beginning for the bi-lateral relationship to be revisited at the level of president to president, in the near future. I think it should be the way forward and every effort must be made by the Foreign Ministry to reach out to the State Department and to White House under the direction of President Sirisena.