Sri Lankan leaders tout Trump’s "historical" victory
The current president and prime minister as well as a former president sent a congratulatory message. Sinhalese Buddhist nationalists urge the new president to defeat terrorism. “Relations between our two countries have been strengthened since my election as President,” said Sirisena.
Colombo (AsiaNews) – Sri Lanka’s three main political leaders describe Donald Trump’s victory in the race for the US presidency as "historic". All three sent warm messages of congratulations.
Incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa believe that ties between the two countries will be strengthened as a result of Trump’s election.
The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), a far-right Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist group, hopes that Trump will be a strong president in the fight to defeat Islamic terrorism.
In his message, Sirisena says “'the US is the adopted home for a significant number of Sri Lankans and they serve as important agents to forge stronger people-to-people bonds, contributing in no small measure to the bilateral relationship between our two countries".
“Relations between our two countries have been strengthened since my election as President in January 2015. I am confident that your election will help build on this existing close partnership to further expand our cooperation,” the Sri Lankan leader added.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe noted that "Despite geographic distance, the bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and the United States of America span approximately 70 years of formal diplomatic relations, and over 200 years of close people-to-people ties. Today, our partnership is stronger and more robust than it has ever been in history".
He said the election showed the American public chose a businessman and not a politician as their new President as they wanted a change.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said Trump's victory is a testament to the fact that love for one's country is indeed what's most important.
“With your election as President of the United States, we look forward to a new world order based on the principles of the sovereign equality of all nations and non-interference in the internal affairs of nation states," Rajapaksa said.
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