Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath has clarified that the recent agreement signed between Sri Lanka and India is a defence cooperation agreement and not a defence pact, as some reports and critics have suggested.
Addressing public concerns, Minister Herath said that there was no deliberate effort to avoid parliamentary scrutiny but rather a lack of time due to scheduling.
Speaking on a current affairs programme on Sirasa TV, he revealed that the agreement was signed on a Saturday, and with Parliament convening the following Tuesday, there was insufficient time to formally present the agreement to the House.
“The agreement in question is not a military pact. It’s a cooperation framework intended to enhance collaboration between our two countries in areas such as maritime security and disaster response,” Herath explained.
He further noted that the agreement had received Cabinet approval and would be made public in due course. “There is a proper procedure. Once the necessary processes are complete, such agreements will be presented transparently before the nation,” he added.
Responding to growing calls for more transparency, the Minister emphasized that any citizen seeking further details about the agreement can request them under the Right to Information Act.
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