House of Representatives delegation strengthens US-Sri Lanka ties

Saturday, 12 August 2017 00:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

image_1488986112-481001106e A bipartisan delegation of Members of Congress from the US House of Representatives arrived in Colombo on Wednesday 9 August to further strengthen ties between the governments and people of Sri Lanka and the United States.

Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas held productive meetings with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, and Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan on 10 August.

The Members of Congress travelled to Sri Lanka during the US Congressional recess to emphasise continued US commitment to political reforms and economic growth in Sri Lanka. They stressed in their official meetings the full support of the United States for the Government of Sri Lanka’s efforts to expedite a new Constitution, strengthen democratic rights for Sri Lankans of all ethnicities, ensure reconciliation, and foster greater prosperity in all regions of the country.

“This visit demonstrates the strong bilateral relationship between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Atul Keshap. “Across the three branches of the US Government, we will continue to support Sri Lanka’s commitments to constitutional reform, reconciliation, justice, and economic prosperity.”