kadda therena un meka balapan.. muge diplomatic skills..
mu deshapalane mona unath mu witharai mama dakala thiyenne mechchara level ekata..
mu conference ekata enna issella hondata research karala thiyanawa..
Got this video from a WhatsApp message with the folllowing write up. RW is very crafty, he is also well read. He would do talk the talk.
Copied as received... The views are those of the writer.
"I was able to watch a 34 minute long interview by the President of Sri Lanka in New York city. This was at the third annual Indo-Pacific Islands Dialogue.
Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe really acquitted himself in an interview with an obviously biased American journalist. His responses and wit showed how well informed and well read he was even of World War II history. He pointed out a fact that this phrase "Indo Pacific" region is a western/US construct.
In my opinion, in fact, this phrase first became part of American jargon during the Obama administration and their pivot to Asia. The current and previous US Ambassadors to Sri Lanka have been aggressively using this concept to try to corner Sri Lanka in the rivalry with China. Incredible anti Chinese rhetoric in the US, specially from the Republicans is a great indicator of where things are headed.
When he mentioned that AUKUS is a military alliance, the US journalist tried to deflect it by saying it is not. Reality is RW is correct.
In September 2021, leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced the creation of an enhanced trilateral security partnership called "AUKUS." AUKUS is intended to strengthen the ability of each government to support security and defense interests, building on longstanding and ongoing relationships.
He also pointed out that the "Chinese spy ship " scare is also untrue and that Sri Lanka is working with India and is very cognizant of India's security concerns about ships visiting Sri Lanka. This is very good news. Because the reason India aided abetted and fostered separatist terrorism in the 1980s was the foolish veering of Sri Lanka's foreign policy towards the US(during the cold war) and it's hostility towards India. We all know how that ended up
He also reminded the journalist about the Situation during the cold war when US was against both India and the USSR. I think if heard him correctly, he almost subtly reminded the US about how US wanted to bomb the Indian navy to support the military dictatorship of Pakistan in 1971.
This was a refreshingly positive, and different perspective than we've seen before. Western journalists with their well defined biases try to "gotcha" game in trying to trap third world leaders.
President RW was skilled in his responses. His emphasis that Indian Ocean nations have a different set of priorities than the US need to get nations to join in their ideological and economy battles with China was laudable. This was a great interview to watch.
And honestly I found myself letting off a cheer when he said "he is neither pro Indian ,nor Pro Chinese but pro Sri Lankan "
Bravo Mister President. Sri Lankan Americans appreciate that strong stance of the government, not to get entangled in the devious webs of Geo political Tetris woven by big super powers. "
Mano Ratwatte USA
