GR reiterates commitment to non-aligned policy, appreciates Aussie support

By Shamindra Ferdinando-November 25, 2013, 10:08 pm 

 Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday stressed that Sri Lanka wouldn’t be aligned with China or India at the expense of its non-aligned foreign policy practiced for many decades.

Dismissing allegations that the Hambantota port was part of a strategic Chinese security project targeting India, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa explained that the Chinese support for the new port was commercial in nature. Having reiterated Sri Lanka’s commitment to work closely with both India and China, the war veteran declared that the country would remain neutral in the future.

The Defence Secretary was addressing the inaugural session of the fourth edition of the Galle Dialogue at Light House hotel yesterday. Among some 35 countries attending the two-day confab are the big five, the US, Russia, China, the UK and France as well as regional power India.

This year’s conference dealt with emerging maritime trends in the Indian Ocean.

Having discussed the circumstances leading to heavy international naval presence in the Indian Ocean, the Defence Secretary asserted that both China and India were battling for greater influence in the region. He said: "the intention of both China and India to increase instruments of maritime power is an interesting aspect of great power strategic competition. Much attention is given to the potential tension between Chinese security concerns regarding sea lines of communications in the Indian Ocean, which are critical to its economy and India’s supposed attitude to this region as its backyard. There is also wariness about China’s relationship with India’s near neighbours and Indian commentators in particular are concerned about ports funded by China in these countries, which they dub ‘string of pearls.’

While emphasizing the importance of Sri Lanka’s relationship with New Delhi in spite of what he called occasional bilateral issues, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa paid a glowing tribute to the sustained Chinese support over the past several decades with the focus on the People’s Republic of China being one of Sri Lanka’s foremost development partners.

Calling for close cooperation among countries to ensure peace and tranquility in the Indian Ocean, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa cited the ongoing working relationship between Sri Lanka and Australia to stem the flow of ‘illegals’ to highlight the need for cohesive measures to tackle contentious issues. Paying a glowing tribute to Australian support for Sri Lanka’s efforts, the outspoken official said that the country could take delivery of two Australian Bay Class patrol vessels next year to boost the country’s capacity to patrol high seas. The Defence Secretary said that as the country sought the support of wealthier nations to secure the required assets to meet the challenging task of patrolling the seas.

The war veteran admitted the country lacked the resources to meet the task at hand.

In his welcome remarks, Navy Commander Vice Admiral J. S. K. Colombage too, appreciated Australia extending its support to bolster Sri Lanka’s offshore patrolling capacity. VA Colombage commented on Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott visiting Sri Lanka’s flagship, SLNS Sayura at the Colombo port on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to announce the proposed delivery of two patrol vessels.