00:00 Some of the terrorists have found safe haven in Canada.
00:03 Canadian Prime Minister has this way of just coming out with some outrageous allegations
00:11 without any supporting proof.
00:12 I'm not surprised that sometime Prime Minister Trudeau comes out with outrageous, unsubstantiated
00:21 allegations.
00:23 Yesterday he had gone and given a rousing welcome to somebody who have associated with
00:29 the Nazis in the past on the Second World War.
00:31 You met with Foreign Minister Jayashankar.
00:33 If you can tell how was the conversation?
00:37 Very good to always to meet my friend Dr. Jayashankar.
00:41 We just had a small conversation as to how we strengthen the Sri Lankan relationship
00:46 and also I have invited him to visit Sri Lanka for the IORA.
00:50 He promised that he will try his level best to make it and to take the country forward
00:56 and the great relationship that we have, strengthen that.
01:00 Sir, my obvious question is there are diplomatic tensions between Canada and India that is
01:05 ongoing because of Trudeau's allegation which India has obviously rejected.
01:10 What will you say on that and on India's response since we know that Sri Lanka has
01:15 to suffer from various forms of terrorism in the last decade?
01:19 Yeah, we have always suffered and some of the terrorists have found safe haven in Canada.
01:24 Canadian Prime Minister has this way of just coming out with some outrageous allegations
01:32 without any supporting proof.
01:34 The same thing they did for Sri Lanka, terrible, total lie about saying that Sri Lanka had
01:40 a genocide.
01:42 Everybody knows there was no genocide in our country and I saw yesterday he had gone and
01:47 given a rousing welcome to somebody who have associated with the Nazis in the past on the
01:54 Second World War.
01:55 So this is questionable and we have dealt it in the past.
02:00 We have categorically rejected those outrageous allegations.
02:03 So I am not surprised that sometime Prime Minister Trudeau comes out with outrageous
02:11 and substantiated allegations.
02:15 Since you mentioned about his comment on the genocide, we know Canadian High Commissioner
02:19 in Sri Lanka was summoned.
02:22 How do you think that that statement has affected the relationship between Sri Lanka and Canada
02:28 and if you can talk about the wider Indo-Pacific?
02:31 Yeah, that has actually affected our relationship.
02:35 People to people we have good contact.
02:36 Foreign Ministry has a different take on that.
02:39 Global…
02:40 Ministry of Global Affairs has very clearly said that Sri Lanka does not… did not go
02:43 through a genocide.
02:44 Whereas the Prime Minister as a politician stand up and says that genocide had taken
02:48 place, that itself is contradictory to each other.
02:50 That doesn't help, you know.
02:52 I don't think anyone should poke into their nose into the other countries and tell as
02:56 to how we should govern our country.
02:58 We love our country more than anyone else.
03:01 That's why we are in our country.
03:03 So therefore, we are not very happy about that relation… that statement at all.
03:09 So basically, I think that's what is very important.
03:11 I or we are saying that Indian Ocean Identity and strengthen the regional architecture.
03:18 We have to look after our region.
03:19 We need to work together.
03:20 That's how we can create a peaceful environment there.
03:25 And we should not be dictated by anyone else as to how we should conduct our affairs.
03:30 So there are reports of Chinese research vessel is scheduled to be docked in Sri Lanka in
03:34 October named as Xi-Yan-6.
03:36 If you can tell us something about that since we know that India in the past has raised
03:41 concern because of its security and how does Sri Lanka assures New Delhi that its security
03:47 interest in the Indian Ocean will be?
03:49 So that's a conversation going on for some period of time.
03:52 India has expressed its concerns for a long period of time.
03:56 But we have now come out with the SOP, standard operating procedure.
03:59 When we were making that, we consulted many of our friends including India.
04:04 So as long as they comply with the SOP, we have no problem.
04:08 But if it doesn't comply with the SOP, we have a problem.
04:10 So therefore, as far as I know, we have not given the permission to come to Sri Lanka
04:17 during the month of October.
04:19 There are negotiations going on but Indian security concerns which are legitimate are
04:24 very, very important for us.
04:25 We have always told that because we want to keep our region as a zone of peace.
04:32 Sir another point of concern is the fisherman issue between India and Sri Lanka.
04:36 We saw during the President's visit this year, the discussion between the Prime Minister
04:40 and the President.
04:42 Our Prime Minister telling the President that you should see this matter with a human approach.
04:47 So if you can talk about that, how is this going to resolve?
04:51 It has to be human from both sides.
04:52 Our fishermen also, their livelihood.
04:56 Therefore we need to sit and talk about it.
04:58 I think Sri Lanka and India has a history of sitting and negotiating and resolving problems.
05:03 You do come, just like in a family.
05:06 So we are very confident that if we can sit and talk about it and find a solution which
05:12 is win-win, which is good for Sri Lanka, good for India and good for our relationship.
05:17 So I know tough times.
05:19 We also have a lot of pressure from our fishermen, particularly from the Tamil speaking fishermen
05:26 in North and East because of their livelihood.
05:29 But similarly, it is also livelihood for the people, some of the fishermen in your country.
05:34 So I am sure we will sit, we will negotiate, we will discuss this and find a solution which
05:39 is acceptable to all.
05:41 Sir, what is the current situation in your country right now since we know that Sri
05:44 Lanka has dealt with economic crisis in the last few times and what will you say on India's
05:51 assistance?
05:52 The situation is much better compared to last year.
05:55 I am sure as a journalist you would know the inflation has come down, tourism has picked
05:59 up, rupee has stabilized, reserves have risen.
06:04 But if you look at carefully, I was telling this morning when I met with some senior officials
06:08 of the UN, when I was advocating to have a financial architecture, we were lucky because
06:17 by the time all multilaterals coming and giving the money, we had a huge gap but it is India
06:24 who played and bridged that gap by coming out with 3.9 billion worth of various form
06:31 of assistance to us.
06:33 So we are very grateful.
06:34 I think India can proudly claim a great part of credit for what we have achieved today.
06:46 Sir, last question in terms of trade relationship, what can we expect between the two countries?
06:52 Trade is very important because we are looking at India growing, one of the fastest growing
06:58 largest economies, big economies and India is growing and that growth path is very important.
07:05 Together with that, the region must grow.
07:07 So we have seen a big opportunity here.
07:10 So that is the idea.
07:11 We are trying to, in electricity, renewable energy, tourism, port, shipping, connectivity,
07:18 we are looking at forging closer relationship with the country.
07:23 I am sure we will be able to do that and that will be better for both countries and we want
07:29 a good region with prosperity, peace and harmony among all.
07:36 So as I always say, until everyone is safe, no one is safe.
07:42 It's true for the region.
07:43 So we want a good neighbor, prosperous neighbor.
07:48 India is going that path.
07:49 We want to go with them.
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