Sri Lanka rejects the designation by the U.S. of Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda

Sri Lanka has expressed regrets over the decision by the U.S. to designate Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, the present Governor of the North Western Province, on April 26, 2023. Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has registered Sri Lanka’s grave concerns associated with this decision with U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung on April 27, 2023. In a statement issued, the Foreign Ministry said, As a longstanding bilateral partner of Sri Lanka, such unilateral action by the U.S. without following due process is counter-productive to the holistic approach that Sri Lanka has taken to addressing national unity and reconciliation. I It is also unfortunate that the announcement emanates against the backdrop of tangible progress made by the government in strengthening the country’s democratic governance and reconciliation structures. Despite these challenges, Sri Lanka will continue in its ongoing efforts to achieve reconciliation, economic recovery, and socio-economic development.