Visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Dr. Paul Kapoor, met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat on Sunday (22) to discuss bilateral relations, regional developments, and economic cooperation.
During the meeting, both sides recalled the longstanding 77-year relationship between Sri Lanka and the United States and noted that ties between the two countries have evolved into a strong multifaceted partnership encompassing trade, investment, security, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
Dr. Kapoor expressed satisfaction with the progress of bilateral cooperation and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to further strengthening relations with Sri Lanka.
Discussions also focused on recent developments in the Middle East. Both parties observed that the situation in the region appears to be moving in a positive direction and expressed confidence that the peace agreement reached on June 19 would contribute to lasting peace and stability.
President Dissanayake highlighted Sri Lanka’s longstanding humanitarian approach, recalling that in March last year the country had provided humanitarian assistance, in accordance with international law, to two vessels that encountered difficulties near Sri Lankan territorial waters. The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State commended Sri Lanka’s actions in this regard.
The President further emphasized Sri Lanka’s commitment to supporting regional peace and stability and reiterated the country’s willingness to contribute to international efforts aimed at maintaining security in the region.
Economic and trade relations also featured prominently in the discussions. Noting that the United States remains one of Sri Lanka’s largest export destinations, both sides explored opportunities to further strengthen trade cooperation in a manner beneficial to both countries.
Attention was also drawn to tariff-related issues and the importance of advancing ongoing discussions on trade matters.
President Dissanayake pointed out that Sri Lanka’s relatively small economy cannot be directly compared with the scale of the U.S. economy and noted the challenges involved in addressing trade imbalances between the two countries.
Both parties also underscored the importance of expediting efforts to finalize a trade agreement between Sri Lanka and the United States, with the aim of enhancing economic cooperation and expanding mutually beneficial trade opportunities.
The meeting reflects the continued engagement between Colombo and Washington on key bilateral, regional, and economic issues of mutual interest.
