Won’t allow Sri Lanka to be used as base for threats to India: Wickremesinghe

Sri Lanka would not be allowed to be used as a base for any threats against India, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said today. asserting that the island nation remains “neutral”.

In a television interview, the president also denied the presence of the Chinese military in Sri Lanka. Wickremesinghe, who was on an official visit to the UK and France, made the comments during an interview with France’s state media.

He said, “We are a neutral country, but we also emphasise the fact that we cannot allow Sri Lanka to be used as a base for any threats against India.”

Responding to a question about China’s perceived military presence in Sri Lanka, Wickremesinghe said that the Chinese have been in the country for centuries but there is no Chinese military presence, terming reports of Chinese presence in Hambantota “mere speculation”. He assured that even though the Hambantota harbour was given out to China’s merchants, its security is controlled by the Sri Lankan government.

“The Southern Naval Command will be shifted to Hambantota, and we have got one brigade stationed in Hambantota in the nearby areas,” he added.