A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Thursday, May 18, 2017
Sri Lanka backs India's concerns over China's OBOR project
Sri
Lanka, which attended the just concluded Belt and Road Forum here, has
backed India's concerns on "sovereignty and territorial integrity" over
the OBOR project, saying it is difficult for New Delhi to accept the $50
billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it goes through the
"heart of Indian interests".
India, which skipped the high-profile meeting, would have joined "very
happily" in the One Belt and One Road (OBOR) initiative of China, said
Sarath Amanugama, Sri Lanka's Minister on Special Assignment.
"Unfortunately, the issue is going through the heart of Indian
interests. If it was some uncontested region, India would have
negotiated its way out. Here, especially the Kashmir issue getting
dragged into it, makes it difficult for India to be flexible," Minister
Amanugama said.
He said India, China and Sri Lanka were very much part of the ancient
Silk Road route as the Chinese Buddhist scholars like Faxian visited
both India and Sri Lanka leading to big discoveries of Buddhist relics
in the island nation.
"(Chinese) President Xi Jinping has emphasised connectivity. These
countries were connected many centuries ago. This will link up these
countries on certain rational basis. Once the regional problems are
resolved, then India has to play big role in the initiative," he said,
adding, "India anyway has to play big role because you cannot think of a
belt and road without going over and close to India."
India skipped the meeting due to its sovereignty concerns over the $50
billion CPEC, which goes through Pakistan- occupied Kashmir. The two-day
conference in Beijing brought together leaders from 29 countries.
Besides Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe, the summit was attended by
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Russian President Vladimir Putin,
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and several other leaders, heads
of UN, World Bank and IMF.
Source - Times of India