Colombo, July 17 (Daily Mirror) - Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka should leverage the resettlement of international sovereign bond (ISB) debt in negotiations with the United States to seek relief from the 30 percent tariff currently imposed on its exports.
“Washington wants Sri Lanka to settle its debts to ISB holders. However, this will not be possible if our economy collapses,” Wickremesinghe said, speaking at the launch of 'Policy Challenges of Globalisation' authored by Professor Sarath Rajapathirana.
“Therefore, this point must be raised during talks with the U.S. Sri Lanka has already been urged by the U.S. to implement economic reforms and debt restructuring—this issue should be part of that broader conversation,” he said.
He noted that countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh, which were also affected by trade measures under the Trump administration, are now progressing faster than Sri Lanka.
“While others are moving forward, Sri Lanka continues to struggle,” he said.
When asked whether he would offer the current government advice on dealing with the U.S, Wickremesinghe responded saying, “There’s no point—I know they won’t take it.”
He also said the importance of regional economic partnerships, calling on Sri Lanka to actively engage with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which includes China, Japan and Australia.
He underscored the need to align with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Japan’s Asia-Pacific strategy and India’s Indian Ocean Framework.
“Sri Lanka must strategically position itself within these initiatives, especially given today’s shifting geopolitical landscape,” he said.
Commenting on broader geopolitical tensions, Wickremesinghe said that the U.S. is working to preserve the dominance of the dollar while trying to undermine China’s powerful manufacturing sector.
හොඳ උපදෙසක් කියලයි මට හිතෙන්නෙ
Grok: In short, using ISB debt as leverage is a bold idea but risks overestimating Sri Lanka’s bargaining power. It’s a high-stakes gamble that depends on U.S. goodwill and Sri Lanka’s ability to navigate complex geopolitical dynamics. Without a stronger hand—like diversified exports or deeper U.S. alignment—it’s more likely to be a rhetorical point than a game-changer.
