US Assistant Secretary of State Dr. Paul Kapur meets President

Visiting United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Dr. Paul Kapur met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat today (22).

The 77-year bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and the United States were recalled during the meeting, and it was noted that the relations between the two countries developed into an excellent multifaceted cooperation across sectors such as trade, defence, investment, tourism, and mutual people-to-people ties.

Commitment to continuously maintaining this bilateral cooperation is assured, the US Assistant Secretary stated, expressing satisfaction with the partnership.

The situation in the Middle East moving in a positive direction gained attention, and both sides expressed belief that the peace agreement reached on June 19 will lead the region towards sustainable peace.

Humanitarian assistance was provided on a legal basis to two distressed vessels near Sri Lankan waters last March, the President mentioned, recalling the humanitarian policy followed by Sri Lanka at that time. The steps taken by Sri Lanka in this regard won appreciation from the US Assistant Secretary.

Maximum support will be provided by Sri Lanka for peace and stability in the region, the President emphasised.

The United States accounts for a large share of Sri Lanka's exports as a single country, and attention focused on developing this trade cooperation to benefit both countries, as well as on the tariffs imposed on Sri Lanka.

A country with a small economy like Sri Lanka cannot be compared with a country with a large economy like America, and bridging the trade gap between the two countries remains a difficult task, the President pointed out, while both sides also focused attention on concluding the trade agreement between the United States and Sri Lanka as quickly as possible.