Sri Lanka: ‘No agreements to be signed during Pompeo visit’

COLOMBO: China warned the US not to “coerce and bully” Sri Lanka as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Colombo on Tuesday.

Pompeo arrived from India where he stepped up anti-Chinese comments which are expected to be a theme of an Asian tour that will take him on to the Maldives and Indonesia.

“We are firmly opposed to the United States taking the opportunity of the State Secretary’s visit to sow and interfere in China-Sri Lanka relations, and to coerce and bully Sri Lanka,” China’s embassy said in a statement, cited by AFP news agency.

AFP said Pompeo is expected to ask Colombo to make “difficult” choices on its relationship with China, which has provided key investment and diplomatic backing in recent years.

The top US diplomat for South Asia, Dean Thompson, said before the tour that Pompeo will ask Sri Lanka to review options offered by Washington.

Education minister Gamini Peiris denied opposition claims that the visit was to finalize a controversial military pact that would allow US troops free access.

“There are no agreements to be signed,” Peiris said, according to AFP.

In talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday, Pompeo will highlight Sri Lanka’s importance as an Indo-Pacific partner on security and economic issues, US officials said.

“He will also emphasize our commitment to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and encourage progress on governance and reconciliation priorities,” a State Department official said.

Pompeo’s visit went ahead despite a surge in coronavirus lockdowns in many parts of Colombo because of a surge in infections.

This includes an area where Pompeo is to visit a Catholic church which was hit by a suicide bomber last year.

Pompeo is to place a wreath at St. Anthony’s Church where 56 people were among 279 killed in coordinated Easter Sunday suicide bombings on three churches and three hotels.