Trincomalee Urban Council in Sri Lanka suspends MoU with US Embassy - report
Jun 02, Colombo: The Trincomalee Urban Council in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province has decided to suspend the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed recently with the US Embassy in Colombo to establish a public information and activity center known as a American Corner in Trincomalee, a local newspaper reported.
The Sri Lankan Government expressed concern over the signing of the MoU between the US Embassy and the Trincomalee Urban Council on May 22 to jointly establish the American Corner without the knowledge of the External Affairs Ministry.
A local government entering into an agreement with a foreign mission without the approval of the External Affairs Ministry is a clear breach of protocol, according to the Ministry.
According to a report in the local English weekly Sunday Leader, the Secretary of the Urban Council Abdul Latif Mohammad Nafeel has said that the External Affairs Ministry had informed the Council that the deal was unacceptable and the Council needs to obtain clearance to continue with the MOU.
The US Embassy has said that it had signed similar agreements when it opened American corners in Kandy and Jaffna.
However, the Secretary of the External Affairs Ministry Karunatilaka Amunugama said that a special investigation has been launched into the MOU and the investigation will also cover the American corners opened in Kandy and Jaffna.
"The Ministry will seek information from the local Council about the deals they had signed with the US Embassy. We have not sought information from the US Embassy as yet," Amunugama was quoted as saying.
The Secretary has said that an official from the Ministry has been appointed to investigate the MOU signed with the local councils and a report will be submitted on the findings.
US embassy spokesman and Director of Press Cultural and Educational Affairs Christopher Teal has said that the purpose of setting up of the information center is to provide vital information to the people particularly, the student population in the East.
Jun 02, Colombo: The Trincomalee Urban Council in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province has decided to suspend the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed recently with the US Embassy in Colombo to establish a public information and activity center known as a American Corner in Trincomalee, a local newspaper reported.The Sri Lankan Government expressed concern over the signing of the MoU between the US Embassy and the Trincomalee Urban Council on May 22 to jointly establish the American Corner without the knowledge of the External Affairs Ministry.
A local government entering into an agreement with a foreign mission without the approval of the External Affairs Ministry is a clear breach of protocol, according to the Ministry.
According to a report in the local English weekly Sunday Leader, the Secretary of the Urban Council Abdul Latif Mohammad Nafeel has said that the External Affairs Ministry had informed the Council that the deal was unacceptable and the Council needs to obtain clearance to continue with the MOU.
The US Embassy has said that it had signed similar agreements when it opened American corners in Kandy and Jaffna.
However, the Secretary of the External Affairs Ministry Karunatilaka Amunugama said that a special investigation has been launched into the MOU and the investigation will also cover the American corners opened in Kandy and Jaffna.
"The Ministry will seek information from the local Council about the deals they had signed with the US Embassy. We have not sought information from the US Embassy as yet," Amunugama was quoted as saying.
The Secretary has said that an official from the Ministry has been appointed to investigate the MOU signed with the local councils and a report will be submitted on the findings.
US embassy spokesman and Director of Press Cultural and Educational Affairs Christopher Teal has said that the purpose of setting up of the information center is to provide vital information to the people particularly, the student population in the East.
