Fri, 29 Mar 2024 Today's Paper

Govt. rebuffs US State Dept. official’s statement on MCC

27 November 2019 07:12 pm - 5     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Sri Lanka's new interim government has dismissed a statement made by a leading official in the US State Department who has claimed that the controversial MCC agreement would be launched in Sri Lanka soon.

Government sources told Daily Mirror that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had instructed the relevant authorities under the Finance Ministry to review the MCC agreement and study its clauses in-depth and to renegotiate or reject any agreements which had objectionable or controversial clauses.

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena confirmed to Daily Mirror that the MCC agreement would be reviewed just like all the other agreements which had been signed or were under discussion by the previous government.

"All future agreements will be reviewed, renegotiated and then submitted to parliament. That is the norm which the previous government had ignored," Gunawardena said.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia at the US State Department, Ambassador Alice Wells said that the US would soon launch the MCC agreement in Sri Lanka that would undertake the same kind of nitty-gritty reforms in land registration and motorway harmonisation that would help unlock economic development.

Criticising China for constructing the Hambantota Port, Wells said the US shared India's concerns over the projects that did not have an economic basis and led to countries ceding sovereignty. (JAMILA HUSAIN)


Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

  Comments - 5

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka
  • M.C. jayawardena Thursday, 28 November 2019 06:40 AM

    Ask US to fly a kite. We are a sovereign Nation within the UN Framework and governed by Parliamentary Democracy. They must respect these principally.

    Bhatiya Siriwardena Thursday, 28 November 2019 09:11 AM

    Wait and see if this will not be signed by this govt. Then talk about neutrality

    BuffaloaCitizen Thursday, 28 November 2019 09:25 AM

    Jaywardene... what sovereign when part of Hambantota belongs to China for 99 years.

    Andrew Silva Thursday, 28 November 2019 09:59 AM

    MCCto be picked a part analysed,reviewed, renegotiated,introduced to the parliament and obviously delayed as usual till the heat of the matter subsides.

    Sando Thursday, 28 November 2019 11:02 AM

    MCC Agreement is the platform for a Tamil Home land....Eelam. The LTTE Diaspora backed it fully. H.E will never consent.


Add comment

Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Reply To:

Name - Reply Comment





Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

VAT increase: SOUNDs death knell for publishers, readers

Though the Government imposed VAT (Value Added Tax) on vegetables and other e

How female change-makers are driving Sri Lanka’s energy saving platform

Saving energy has become more of a responsibility than a habit in today’s c

A dull Ramadan awaits Muslims amidst the Soaring Cost of Living

In the coming days, Muslims across the world will welcome the Holy Month of R

New wildlife underpass to curtail HEC

As of February 2024, Sri Lanka lost another 38 elephants as a result of the H