Sri Lanka's New Prez. Vows to be Neutral in International Matters
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“We will maintain friendly ties with all the nations and
remain neutral in matters involving international powers so as to stay out of
conflicts”, said Gotabaya Rajapaksa, while delivering his speech at his
swearing-in ceremony on Monday.
As
Sri Lanka has historically been an important commercial hub along the maritime
routes due to its strategic position in the Indian Ocean, the 70-year-old
controversial wartime defense secretary's statement keeps special importance.
Trouncing
his nearest rival, Sajith Premadasa, by a margin of over 13 lakh votes - 52.25%
of votes polled against 41.99%, Rajapaksa stormed to victory on November 18.
Rajapaksa showed his concern over important issues like: foreign policy and
sustainable development.
According
to Sri Lankan news outlet, News First, “Talking about foreign policy, Rajapaksa
stressed that his country would remain friendly and neutral with all fellow
nations so as to stay out of conflicts between international powers”.
Rajapaksa
pledged to support the UN's sustainable development goals and make Sri Lanka
one of the leading countries in sustainable development.
He
also assured that corruption would not be tolerated under his administration.
Being
an ex-military man, Rajapaksa attended the counter-insurgency and jungle
warfare school in Assam in 1980, served as the defense secretary during his
elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa's, tenure as president from 2005 to 2014.
He
pursued his master in Defense Studies from the University of Madras in 1983.
In
2012 and 2013, Rajapaksa visited India as the Sri Lanka’s defense secretary at
his own level.
