The Government is poised exploit ‘multiple links’ to enhance goodwill with the new US administration after the President-elect Donald J. Trump assumes office on January 20, although it is not expecting a major policy shift with regard to Sri Lanka.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva said the Ministry will initiate talks with the new US administration immediately after the inauguration and added that they have ‘multiple links’ to Trump’s administration.
“US policy is fairly stable on all matters. We don’t see any major shift just because a new administration has come in,” he said when asked if he expected any change in its policy towards Sri Lanka in the Human Rights front. Under the Obama administration, the US had been supporting the proposal to appoint a hybrid court and more rigorous measures to investigate war crimes and human rights abuses allegedly committed by Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE during the final phase of the war. It also sponsored three Human Rights Council resolutions on the same line.
Soon after Trump’s election, President Sirisena reached out and sought his assistance to put a stop to ‘unfair scrutiny by the international community’. International Observers predict that the new US president will de-prioritise Human Rights and democracy promotion overseas.
US Vice President elect Mike Pence in a telephone conversation with President Maithripala Sirisena on December 1 had complimented his actions for healing the country and attempting to unite all communities after the end of war.
When asked if the government would seek help from the US to reverse the October 2015 Geneva resolution sponsored by the US, after the new President takes over at the Oval Office, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister said the government did not perceive the 2015 resolution as negative. If so, it would not have opted to co-sponsor it, he said.