Domestic debt operations part of the debt restructuring, are largely completed-IMF

 

IMF update on agreements with Sri Lanka’s commercial creditors

News Wire April 5, 2024 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says there is a strong expectation that agreements with commercial creditors consistent with program parameters will be reached by the completion of Sri Lanka’s second review.

Addressing the IMF’s press briefing, Director of the Communications Department Julie Kozak said the next steps on the debt restructuring are to conclude the negotiations with external commercial creditors and to implement agreements in principle with official creditors.  

Julie Kozak further said that the domestic debt operations part of the debt restructuring, are largely completed.

“On December 12, 2023, the IMF’s Executive Board approved the first review of Sri Lanka’s program with the IMF.  It enabled a disbursement of US$337 million. On March 21, the IMF Staff and the Sri Lankan authorities reached a Staff-Level Agreement on economic policies to conclude the second review, as well as the 2024 Article IV Consultation.  

“Completion of the review by the Executive Board requires, first, the implementation of the prior actions that have been agreed and second, completion of what we call financing assurances review. That review would need to confirm that multilateral partners are continuing their financing contributions to Sri Lanka, and it will also assess progress with debt restructuring and will need to conclude that adequate progress is being made,” she said. 

Julie Kozak also pointed out that macroeconomic policy reforms in Sri Lanka are starting to bear fruit. 

“Commendable outcomes include rapid disinflation, robust reserve accumulation, and initial signs of economic growth while preserving the stability of the financial system.  Public finances have strengthened following substantial fiscal reforms, and it is critical that this reform momentum be continued,” she added.

Julie Kozak made the remarks in response to a question raised regarding an update on the debt restructuring process, including with China state creditors. (NewsWire)⍐

INDIA-SRILANKA: Historic Water Boundary

 

https://www.state.gov/limits-in-the-seas/

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/LIS-66.pdf

Ex-Ambassador to WTO demands disclosure of contents of containers consigned to Colombo aboard ‘Dali’

 ‘Baltimore accident a blessing in disguise as it exposed a crime perpetrated here’

Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Gomi Senadhira yesterday (02) said that the ill-fated Singaporean cargo vessel ‘Dali’ chartered by Maerask wouldn’t have taken on board containers carrying hazardous materials that were to be unloaded here without specific approval from the relevant authorities in Colombo.

Senadhira said that the government without any further delay should take tangible measures to identify those who had authorised the shipment of such dangerous materials. The former official said that the identities of those who had been involved in this operation must have been known to the powers that be.

The government could seek the assistance of the US in this regard, the outspoken former official said. “The issue at hand is how many such shipments reached Colombo over the years,” Senadhira said, pointing out that if not for the vessel crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Baltimore, on March 26, it could have been on its way to the Colombo harbour.

According to international news agencies, the 21 crew comprised 20 Indians and one Sri Lankan.

A stickler when it comes to following protocol, Senadhira said that the containers appeared to have not been cleared by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and the possibility of persons with authority exploiting BoI procedures for their benefit couldn’t be ruled out.

Director Customs Seevali Arukgoda said that Customs has no way of knowing who the consignee is and what the cargo is until the cargo manifest is filed by the agent here. Even then, cargo description is in most cases not sufficient to properly identify such goods. No one will declare contents as “Toxic waste,” the official said, in response to The Island query.

Senadhira served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation for a period of three years, beginning 2004 after he held the post of Minister Counsellor in Washington and Brussels, from 1998-2001 and 2001 to 2004, respectively.

He recalled that a few years ago the UK was exposed for shipping to Colombo 263 containers of hazardous waste, including human body parts from hospitals/mortuaries. Those containers were taken back after the exposure, Senadhira said, expressing serious concern whether far more hazardous waste were being shipped here aboard Dali with the connivance of the relevant authorities here.

Senadhira said that he was glad the Opposition raised this issue in Parliament yesterday (02).

Referring to the extensive coverage of the accident and its aftermath, Senadhira said that the crash happened immediately after Dali left Baltimore harbour. The vessel’s next stop was to be Colombo, the former public servant said, adding that prior to Baltimore, the Dali called at New York and Norfolk, Virginia, where some of those containers or all bound for Colombo were loaded.

Senadhira said that he expected the Opposition to go flat out both in and out of Parliament until the government revealed what was going on. Responding to another query, Senadhira said that this was nothing but a massive crime perpetrated on hapless people by those who would turn the country into a toxic waste yard for personal gain.

The vessel carried 4,700 containers. Senadhira said that the Parliament should take up this issue vigorously and seek answers as every attempt would obviously be made to suppress the information by those involved, Senadhira said.

He pointed out that some politicians and officials obviously cooperated with interested parties and reached agreements for their benefit, but at a massive expense to the country. The controversial agreement finalized with Singapore during the Yahapalana administration to accept waste from that country was just a case in point, Senadhira said, urging political parties to seek a consensus on matters of national importance.

The Baltimore accident is a tragedy as it caused colossal damages and claimed the lives of several persons. But, that incident is in a way a blessing in disguise as it exposed a grave crime about to be perpetrated against Sri Lanka, Senadhira said.⍐

Ship Dali was carrying US toxic waste to Sri Lanka: Report

Ship was carrying US toxic waste to Sri Lanka: Report

Daily Mirror 01-04-2024

The Singapore cargo ship Dali chartered by Maersk, which crashed into the Baltimore, US bridge on Tuesday 26 March, was carrying 764 tons of hazardous materials to Sri Lanka,

US media reported. The waste included mostly corrosives, flammables, miscellaneous hazardous materials, and Class-9 hazardous materials, including explosives & lithium-ion batteries – in 56 containers. So says the US National Transportation Safety Board, still ‘analyzing the ship’s manifest to determine what was onboard’ in its other 4,644 containers. 

Prior to Baltimore, the Dali called at New York and Norfolk, Virginia, which has the world’s largest naval base. Colombo was to be its next scheduled call, going around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, taking 27 days, scheduled to land just after our New Year. The US National Transportation Safety Board has reported that the ship had been carrying 764 tons of hazardous materials including explosives to SL in 56 containers The ship is being analysed to determine what was aboard its other 4,644 containers US Department of Homeland Security has also deemed the waters near the crash site as ‘unsafe for divers’ According to ee (The e-con e-news), who exactly the toxic materials and fuel were destined for in Sri Lanka is unclear.

The bridge is a ‘designated hazmat route’ for US trucks carrying hazardous materials With wars in West Asia and East Africa, Sri Lanka has become an even more important transit for shipping According to ee, ‘the extremely opaque nature of global ship owning makes finding the ultimate owners and holding them accountable for any violations dif­ficult’. The Singapore cargo ship Dali chartered by Maersk, which collapsed the Baltimore, US bridge on March 26, was carrying 764 tons of hazardous materials to Sri Lanka–mostly corrosives, flammables, miscellaneous hazardous materials, and Class9 hazardous materials, including explosives and lithium-ion batteries–in 56 containers. So says the US National Transportation Safety Board, still ‘analysing the ship’s manifest to determine what was onboard’ in its other 4,644 containers. The e-con e-news (ee) reports that prior to Baltimore, the Dali called at New York and Norfolk, Virginia, which has the world’s largest naval base. Colombo was to be its next scheduled call, going around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, taking 27 days, scheduled to land just after our New Year. According to ee, Denmark’s Maersk, transporter for the US Department of War, is integral to US military logistics, carrying up to 20% of the world’s merchandise trade annually on a fleet of about 600 vessels, including some of the world’s largest ships. The US Department of Homeland Security has also now deemed the waters near the crash site as ‘unsafe for divers’. An ‘unclassified memo’ from the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) says a US Coast Guard team is examining 13 damaged containers, ‘some with Centers for Disease Control & Prevention [CDC] and/or hazardous materials [HAZMAT] contents. The team is also analysing the ship’s manifest to determine if any materials could pose a health risk’. CISA says, officials are also monitoring about 1.8 million gallons of fuel inside Dali for its ‘spill potential’. The ship had a total of 4,700 containers onboard. Who exactly the toxic materials and fuel were destined for in Sri Lanka is not being reported. Also, it is a rather long way for such Hazmat, let alone fuel, to be exported, at least given all the media blather about ‘carbon footprint’, ‘green sustainability’ etc. We can expect only squeaky silence from the usual eco-freaks, who are heavily funded by the US and EU. It also adds to the intrigue of how Sri Lanka was so easily blocked in 2022 from receiving more neighbourly fuel, etc., which led to the present ‘regime change’ machinations. ee has analysed dozens of news stories on the Baltimore crash. No reports in the Sri Lanka media highlight the hazardous materials being carried on the ship. No media reports about who is exporting such toxic waste to Sri Lanka, and who is importing. Instead the US media is attempting to divert attention from Maersk’s involvement. Then again, the media dare not criticise the colonial import-export plantation oligarchy. Yet, there was endless media outragification at alleged contamination in a Chinese ship bringing organic fertiliser to Sri Lanka in May 2021–outrage promoted by English chemical importers to Sri Lanka like ICICIC! According to ee, Maersk’s business partner in Colombo, South Asia Gateway Terminal Ltd. is owned by colonial conglomerate John Keells. Last November 2023, the US International Development Finance Corporation (IDFC) promised a $553 million investment in the Adani Ports-led West Container Terminal port project in Colombo, to be jointly developed with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and John Keells.

This week saw the US State Department training SL Ports Authority senior staff. In February, Maersk Managing Director Biju Ravi called for Colombo ‘to up its game in terms of swift cargo clearance to increase its transhipment business’! Due to the US and its allies waging wars on West Asia and East Africa, Sri Lanka has become an even more important transit for shipping. The more expensive and longer diversions are blamed by the white media on Yemen–which by ‘international law’–controls access through the Red Sea, and Somalia which has Africa’s largest coastline, and could control eastern access to the large continent.

Maersk also links to Israeli carrier Zim’s ZBA Service through its 2M Alliance with Italy’s Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), sharing 185 vessels deployed on their Asiaeurope, trans-pacific and trans-atlantic trades. Singapore-flagged Dali is deployed on Maersk’s Asia-us east coast TP12 loop and MSC’S Empire Service.

US media are also diverting attention from Dali’s cargo by insinuating that dirty fuel may have played a role in the ship losing power and hitting Francis Scott Key Bridge, closing the USA’S 5th-busiest East Coast container port. The bridge is named after the composer of the US National Anthem, ‘Star-spangled Banner’, which begins ‘O say, can you see…’ It is unclear, however, given the massive costs involved, O say, who is allowed to see what!? ee states that it is more unclear which Maersk-linked US companies export toxic materials to Sri Lanka. 

Maersk’s Biju, who wishes ‘swift clearance’, was speaking at an Indian Ocean Strategic Research Centre (IOSRC) collaboration on February 1, to ‘address ensuing challenges and opportunities evolving in the maritime region of the Indian Ocean’. The ‘collaboration’ also included Harikrishshan Sundaram (CEO Colombo West International Terminal), Fredrik Haag (International Maritime Organisation/imo Head of London Convention, Protocol & Ocean Affairs), Chevaan Daniel (Executive Group Director Capital Maharaja Group), and Ruchira Cumaratunga (Professor of Microbiology, Founding Dean, Faculty of Fisheries & Marine Science & Technology).

US trucks carrying Hazmat use this Baltimore bridge, designated as a ‘designated hazmat route’. Meanwhile, US media were also blaming the Baltimore Bridge collapse on a foreign cyber-attack causing the ship to suddenly change course to hit the bridge. Other US media blame ‘immigration’ for the ship’s totally ‘Hindu’ crew, even as it was Baltimore pilots who operate within the harbour. Yet, Asians are used on ships carrying toxic materials over long voyages.

However, the 6 workers killed beneath the collapsing metal, part of a construction crew fixing potholes on the bridge were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador employed by US construction company Brawner Builders. The Dali distress signal provided enough time for traffic to be stopped entering the bridge. However, this road repair crew had to remain on the bridge and was not evacuated.

Meanwhile, US politicians in both major parties are ramping up rhetoric against migrants, often fleeing economic and political instability caused by US government action, and encouraged by US industrial recruiting agencies. US President Biden’s recent State of the Union address, included an anti-migrant rant, lamenting the “thousands of people being killed by illegals.”

However, undocumented immigrants are less likely to engage in violent crime than US residents. Baltimore also made other headlines this week as its new $1billion jail for Africans and non-anglo Americans will be Maryland’s ‘most expensive statefunded project in history’ Bloomberg Intelligence says, Maersk may not be liable as the Danish company had no crew onboard and the ship was operated by a charter company. 

‘Maritime insurance will likely cover some of the costs, yet uncertainty around the total liabilities and who will pay for them will likely weigh on Maersk’s spreads in the near term.’ The New York Times adds: ‘Ship ownership structures’ are ‘designed to maximize opacity and minimize accountability. While global companies such as Maersk charter the vessels, the owners and the ship managers are generally responsible for managing the crew and maintaining the ships.

The extremely opaque nature of global ship-owning makes finding the ultimate owners and holding them accountable for any violations dif­ficult. Shipping is the Wild West from a compliance and accountabilit perspective. And when compliance & accountability aren’t priorities, issues like environmental standards, labour practices and health and safety often aren’t either.’

The ship is insured by the Britannia Protection & Indemnity Club, a mutual insurance association, owned by shipping companies. Protection & Indemnity (P&I) clubs are mutual insurance organizations that insure & pool liability for the global shipping industry. About 90% of the world’s ocean-bound cargo is insured by an arm of these International Group of Protection & Indemnity Clubs, which oversee the 12 major mutual insurance associations for ship owners. These International Group of P&I Associations will be hit the hardest, with the group having significant reinsurance coverage, led by Us-owned AXA XL.

The ship’s namesake artist, the fascist Salvador Dali, would have been inspired by this truly surreal example of real capitalist ‘globalisation’.‘⍐

Ship that collapsed Baltimore bridge was carrying hazardous materials: NTSB

Ship that collapsed Baltimore bridge was carrying hazardous materials: NTSB

Imagery from underwater drones show 'an abundance of twisted metal and debris' from the collapsed bridge

abc7 News Thursday, March 28, 2024 

BALTIMORE -- The cargo ship that caused the Baltimore bridge collapse was carrying hazardous materials, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said there are 56 containers aboard containing hazardous materials, including corrosives, flammables and lithium ion batteries. She said some containers were breached and a sheen was identified in the water that will be dealt with by authorities. She said the voyage data recorder has been recovered.

Homendy said the investigation could take 12 to 24 months but that the NTSB will not hesitate to issue urgent safety recommendations during that time. She said a preliminary report should be released in two to four weeks.

"It's a massive undertaking for an investigation," Homendy said. "It's a very tragic event."

According to an unclassified memo from the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, federal officials are also monitoring about 1.8 million gallons of fuel inside the container ship Dali for its "spill potential." But a U.S. official familiar with the matter told CNN "lots would have to go wrong" for that amount of fuel to spill.

The Department of Homeland Security has also deemed the water near the crash site unsafe for divers, according to a memo obtained by ABC News.

The concerns come after the vessel struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge Tuesday morning, causing a near-total collapse.

Two bodies were recovered from the water Wednesday, according to Maryland State Police. Four others are still missing and presumed dead.

ரகு - அண்ணாவுக்கு பிரியாவிடை

 

அன்புள்ள ரகு அண்ணா; 

அண்ணனுக்கு அண்ணனாய், தோழனுக்கு தோழனாய்,  எம்மோடு பயணித்தவா... பிரியாவிடை!

உறவுக்கு ஒரு உயிர் அண்ணனாய் இருந்தவன் நீ!  

நீ அள்ளி தந்த அன்பே தனி! 

மறப்பேனோ உன்னை, 

என் தந்தைக்கு பெறா மகனாய்  நீ  ஆற்றிய பணிவிடை,

இரத்த தானம் கேட்ட போது  நீ கொடுத்த கொடை, 

 “நான், குமாரா, ராஜா, மூவரும் என்றும் பிரியோம்” 

என்று அப்பாவுக்கு நீ கொடுத்த வாக்கு,

............ என, என

பிரியாமல் பயணித்த பயணம் பல, 

பிரிந்தாயோ அண்ணா?

உறவின் அர்த்தம்  புரிந்தவன், வந்த தடைகள் தகர்த்தவன்.

குடும்பச் சுமை  `குழந்தை உழைப்பாளிகளை` கொழும்புக்குத் துரத்திய, 

மலையக சோகத்தின் மற்றொரு சுவடு நீ.

சளைக்கவில்லை நீ சாதித்தாய்!

என்று நீ அயர்ந்தாய்? 

அந்த உலைக்களத்தில் பயின்றாய்,

உன்னத மனிதனாய் உயர்ந்தாய்!

நீதியான சமுதாயத்தை உருவாக்க  நாம் சிறு எறும்புகளாக இணைவோம் என்ற போது நீ தயங்கவில்லை.

அந்நிய ஆக்கிரமிப்பை எதிர்த்த எந்தக் கருத்துக்களும்  வேட்டையாடப்பட்ட அந்நாட்களில், 

துணிந்த  உன் செயல்கள் சிறு  துளிகள் , 

ஆம்

பெரு வெள்ளமான சிறு  துளிகள்!  

வீதியெல்லாம் இராணுவம், விளக்கெரிக்க அஞ்சினோம், 

வீடு தந்த மானுடம் நீ!

விடுதலை விளக்கேற்றும் பிரச்சார இயக்கத்துக்கு 

அடிநாதமாய் இருந்த பிடிவாதம் உனது.

அன்றும், இன்றும் இதை அறிந்தவர் சிலர் ஆயினும் 

இன்று அனைவரும் அறிய உரக்கச் சொல்வோம், 

எம் பாதையில் நீ ஒரு தொடு கல்! எம் பயணத்தில் நீ ஒரு நடுகல்!

அன்புத் தோழனே, இன்று நீ மீளாத்துயிலில் .... நாமோ ஆறாத்துயரில்...

உன் அன்பும், சமூக நேசமும், மக்கள் பாசமும், மனித நேயமும் 

என்றென்றும் எம்மை விட்டு அழியாது, அகலாது.

எப்போதும் உயிர் வாழும்,

எம் உயிரோடு உன் நினைவும் வாழும்.

சென்று வா, 

அன்பு மிகு ரகு அண்ணா சென்று வா!

பிரியாவிடை.

என்றும் உன் அன்பு மறவா சகோதரர்கள், நண்பர்கள், தோழர்கள்.

01-04-2024

UK government lawyers say Israel is breaking international law

UK government lawyers say Israel is breaking international law, claims top Tory in leaked recording

Chair of foreign affairs select committee Alicia Kearns said at a Tory fundraiser that legal advice would mean the UK has to cease all arms sales to Israel without delay.

Sat 30 Mar 2024 19.30 GMT The Guardian/Observer 

The British government has received advice from its own lawyers stating that Israel has breached international humanitarian law in Gaza but has failed to make it public, according to a leaked recording obtained by the Observer.

The comments, made by the Conservative chair of the House of Commons select committee on foreign affairs, Alicia Kearns, at a Tory fundraising event on 13 March are at odds with repeated ministerial denials and evasion on the issue.

On Saturday night, Kearns, a former Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence official, who has repeatedly pressed ministers, including foreign secretary David Cameron, on the legal advice they have received, stood by her comments and called for the government to come clean.

“I remain convinced the government has completed its updated assessment on whether Israel is demonstrating a commitment to international humanitarian law, and that it has concluded that Israel is not demonstrating this commitment, which is the legal determination it has to make,” she said. “Transparency at this point is paramount, not least to uphold the international rules-based order.”

The revelation will place Lord Cameron and prime minister Rishi Sunak under intense pressure because any such legal advice would mean the UK had to cease all arms sales to Israel without delay.

Legal experts said that not to do so would risk putting the UK in breach of international law itself, as it would be seen as aiding and abetting war crimes by a country it was exporting arms to.

Answering questions at an “evening drinks reception” hosted by the West Hampstead and Fortune Green Conservatives in London, Kearns said: “The Foreign Office has received official legal advice that Israel has broken international humanitarian law but the government has not announced it.

Conservative MP Alicia Kearns
made the comments at a Tory
fundraising event earlier this
month.Photograph: NurPhoto
/Getty Images

“They have not said it, they haven’t stopped arms exports. They have done a few very small sanctions on Israeli settlers and everyone internationally is agreed that settlers are illegal, that they shouldn’t be doing what they’re doing, and the ways in which they have continued and the money that’s been put in.”

Kearns told the gathering that both she and Cameron believed strongly in Israel’s right to defend itself. “But the right to self-defence has a limit in law. It is not limitless,” she said, going on to suggest that Israel’s actions put its and the UK’s long-term security at risk.

“Some of the ways in which Israel is prosecuting this is making their long-term security less certain. It is making our long-term security less certain. I’m amazed that our national threat level has not gone up. And it breaks my heart because I know it could be done differently.”

The British barrister and judge Sir Geoffrey Nice, who was the lead prosecutor at former Serbian president Slobodan Milošević’s trial from 2002 to 2006, said he would not be at all surprised if such advice had been given by government lawyers and called for it to be made public.

Nice said: “A warring party becomes unlawful if it cannot show that its actions have been proportionate. It would not be surprising if there had been advice to that effect from the Foreign Office’s lawyers.”

Were that to be the case, he said that “at the very least that would mean the UK would have to look at the whole issue of arms sales to Israel. It takes you into the area of aiding and abetting. It takes you into to very difficult areas.”

He added: “Countries supplying arms to Israel may now be complicit in criminal warfare. The public should be told what the advice says.”

The UK’s arms exports to Israel amounted to £42m in 2022, a figure described by defence secretary Grant Shapps as “relatively small”.

But former lord chancellor Charles Falconer said a legal assessment that Israel had broken international law would also prevent the UK sharing intelligence with Israel.

“Governments who abide by the rule of law cannot ignore mounting evidence of breach which would then put those governments in breach if they continued assisting,” he said.

In a session of the foreign affairs select committee in January, Cameron was asked directly by Kearns whether “you have never had a piece of paper put in front of you by a Foreign Office lawyer that says that Israel is in breach of its international humanitarian commitments under international humanitarian law”.

Cameron stated that “I cannot recall every single bit of paper that has been put in front of me … I don’t want to answer that question.”

He later said that “if you are asking me whether I am worried that Israel has taken action that might be in breach of international law … yes, of course I am worried about that. That is why I consult the Foreign Office lawyers when giving this advice on arms exports.”

Other UK ministers have previously claimed that Israel has abided by international law. In late November, business secretary Kemi Badenoch said on Sky News that “we’ve always said that Israel should abide by international law, and that appears to be what they have done … It looks like they have taken great pains to make sure that they’re staying within the confines of the law. We applaud them for that.”

Labour has repeatedly called for the government to be transparent about the legal advice it has received.

On 22 March, David Lammy MP, the shadow foreign secretary, wrote to Cameron, calling on him to publish the legal advice on Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law.

On 26 March in the House of Commons, Lammy asked the minister for development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell MP, if the foreign secretary had received legal advice saying there was a clear risk that items licensed by the UK might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. Mitchell said “no government do[es] that”, adding later that “we do not disclose our internal legal advice”.

Last week, the international court of justice ordered Israel to allow unimpeded access of food aid into Gaza, where huge numbers of people are facing imminent starvation. Cameron has repeatedly voiced his frustration at Israel’s action in blocking aid from crossing the border into Gaza.

The war began on 7 October after Hamas launched an attack inside Israel that killed more than 1,100 Israelis, mostly civilians, and took about 250 people hostage.

Israeli military attacks on Gaza have resulted in the death of more than 32,000 people, the majority women and children, according to local health authorities.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We keep advice on Israel’s adherence to international humanitarian law under review and ministers act in accordance with that advice, for example, when considering export licences. The content of the government’s advice is confidential.” ⍐

A.K. Dissanayake in the Lead for President-IHP

 

The Institute for Health Policy’s (IHP) Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) MRP provisional estimates of presidential election voting intent in February 2024 show no real changes compared to January. NPP/JVP leader A.K. Dissanayake continues to lead with the support of 53% of all adults followed by SJB leader Sajith Premadasa on 34%, President Ranil Wickremesinghe at 6% (-2) and a generic SLPP candidate at 7% (-1).

These estimates are based on the January 2024 revision of the IHP SLOTS Multilevel Regression and Poststratification (MRP) model. The update is for all adults and uses data from 16,248 interviews conducted from October 2021 to 24 March 2024 including 575 interviews during February 2024. Margins of error are assessed as 1-3% for February.

IHP’s SLOTS MRP methodology first estimates the relationship between a wide variety of characteristics about respondents and their opinions, in this case, “If there was a Presidential Election today, who would you vote for?” in a multilevel statistical model. It then uses a large data file that is calibrated to the national population to predict voting intent in each month since October 2021 according to what the multilevel model says about their probability of voting for various parties (‘post-stratification’) at each point in time.

SLOTS combines interviews from a national sample of adults (ages 18 and over) reached by random digit dialling of mobile numbers, and others coming from a national panel of respondents who were previously recruited through random selection. IHP estimates voting intent using an adaptation of Multilevel Regression and Post-Stratification (MRP), with multiple imputation to account for uncertainties in its modelling, exploiting data from all SLOTS interviews to estimate voting in a particular month.

The February 2024 MRP estimates are based on 16,248 interviews conducted from 1 October 2021-24 March 2024 including 575 interviews conducted in February 2024. All estimates are adjusted to ensure the sample matches the national population with respect to age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education, geographical location and voting in the 2019 presidential and 2020 general elections.⍐

India, Ukraine discuss achieving ‘peaceful settlement’

India, Ukraine discuss achieving ‘peaceful settlement’ to Moscow-Kyiv conflict during FM Kuleba’s India visit: MEA

ANI

29 March, 2024 10:47 pm IST

New Delhi [India], March 29 (ANI): India and Ukraine discussed regional and global matters including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and efforts to achieve a ‘peaceful settlement’, during the visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro to New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

FM Kuleba was on an official visit to India on March 28-29. During his visit, FM Kuleba met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Deputy National Security Adviser, Vikram Misri.

The meeting between Jaishankar and Kuleba held on Friday focused on fostering constructive dialogue and strengthening bilateral relations between India and Ukraine, including in areas such as trade and investment, science and technology, defence, agriculture, health, culture, and education, the statement read.

Both ministers also held a separate discussion on matters related to the India-Ukraine Inter-Governmental Commission on trade, economic, scientific, technical, industrial and cultural cooperation and its working groups.

New Delhi and Kyiv agreed to work towards holding the seventh Inter-Governmental Commission meeting later this year.

“The exchange of views on regional and global matters involved a comprehensive discussion on the ongoing conflict and efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement,” the statement added.

The two sides also acknowledged that regular interactions at various levels and meetings of bilateral mechanisms have contributed to the strong and multifaceted partnership that exists between India and Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian FM Kuleba said on social media platform X that he held “comprehensive talks” with EAM Jaishankar on bilateral ties and global security. The two leaders paid special attention to the Peace Formula and the next steps to be adopted for its implementation.

He added that the two sides agreed to restore the level of cooperation between our countries that existed before the conflict between Russia and Ukraine started in 2022.

EAM Jaishankar stated on X that the two sides had wide-ranging conversation focussing on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and its wider ramifications. They also reiterated their commitment to strengthen the overall relationship, including bilateral cooperation.

At the meeting, Jaishankar said that he looks forward to the visit, adding that India looks forward to hearing the Ukrainian perspective on their regional situation.

“We have been looking forward to this visit…In recent months, we have had interactions at various levels, I am glad to see some of our bilateral mechanisms have also met and this has created certain momentum in our bilateral relationship. Today, after this discussion, we look forward also to the meeting of the intergovernmental commission,” Jaishankar said.

“Your visit gives us an opportunity to understand the situation in your own region and I look forward to hearing your perspective on that. Our teams have prepared a very substantial agenda for discussions,” he added.

While, the Ukrainian FM stated that Kyiv will be looking forward to discussing new areas of cooperation with New Delhi.

“We will be looking forward to restoring what had existed before the large-scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine began, existed between us. We will be looking forward to discussing new areas and projects of our cooperation because I do believe that this relationship has a strategic perspective,” he said.

In 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy first presented Ukraine’s 10-point peace formula to world leaders at the G20 Summit in Indonesia’s Bali. The 10-point peace formula includes a path to nuclear safety and food security, a special tribunal for alleged Russian war crimes and a final peace treaty with Moscow.

Ukrainian FM Kuleba arrived in India at the invitation of EAM Jaishankar on Thursday and said he will look to boost bilateral ties between the two countries and build on the dialogue between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He also paid respects to Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, this visit came days after a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 20, in which the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the India-Ukraine partnership in various spheres.

While discussing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, PM Modi reiterated India’s people-centric approach and called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward. He highlighted that India supports all efforts for an early and peaceful resolution of all issues between the parties.

He added that India would continue to do everything within its means to support a peaceful solution. Ukrainian resident Zelenskyy appreciated India’s continued humanitarian assistance for the people of Ukraine. (ANI)⍐

Xi meets Sri Lankan PM

This handout photograph released by Sri Lanka Prime Minister’s Office on March 27, 2024 shows Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena (left) shaking hands with China’s President Xi Jinping before a meeting in Beijing. | Photo Credit: AFP

GT  Mar 27, 2024 

    

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in Beijing on Wednesday.

Noting that the friendship between China and Sri Lanka enjoys a long history and the two peoples share a natural affinity, Xi said consolidating and promoting China-Sri Lanka relations serves the fundamental interests and reflects the common expectations of the two peoples.

China is willing to work with Sri Lanka to carry forward the spirit of the Rubber-Rice Pact, which is characterized by "independence, self-reliance, unity and mutual support," to consolidate political mutual trust, enhance exchanges of experience in governance, expand practical cooperation, and advance the high quality Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said.

He noted that China and Sri Lanka should join hands to advance their strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincere mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena,
who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China,
March 27, 2024. Photo: Xinhua

Sri Lankan PM Dinesh Gunawardena meets Chinese President Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping assures continuous support to Sri Lanka for political and socio-economic progress, emphasising mutual respect and cooperation

The Hindu March 28, 2024 03:17 pm | Updated 03:42 pm IST - Colombo

Chinese President Xi Jinping has assured continuous support to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena for Sri Lanka’s efforts for “political and socio-economic progress” and also said Beijing will stand for safeguarding the island nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

China and Sri Lanka agreed to continue to act under the friendship, peace, mutual respect and fivefold principle in international affairs that do not interfere in the internal affairs of a country during a meeting between Mr. Xi and Mr. Gunawardena on March 27 at Great Hall in Beijing, the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement in Colombo on March 28.

“Chinese President assured continuous support of China to Sri Lanka’s efforts for political and socioeconomic progress. The Chinese President said that China will always stand for safeguarding independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka,” the statement said.

 Bankrupt Sri Lanka gets China’s tentative agreement on debt restructure

“It was emphasised that bilateral relations should be based on mutual respect and mutual productivity between the countries, and acting according to that policy would set a good example for both countries,” it added.

President Xi assured that China will support the schemes necessary for the development of Sri Lanka as soon as they are presented.

China is willing to work with Sri Lanka to carry forward the spirit of the Rubber-Rice Pact, which is characterised by “independence, self-reliance, unity and mutual support,” to consolidate political mutual trust, enhance exchanges of experience in governance, expand practical cooperation, and advance the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Mr. Xi was quoted as saying in an official press release in Beijing.

Earlier on March 26, China and Sri Lanka signed nine new agreements as Prime Minister Mr. Gunawardena met his counterpart Chinese Premier Li Qing amid Colombo’s efforts to restructure its bankrupt economy but no details about the agreement were made available.

 ALSO READ China’s threat to India would come from Sri Lanka, warns Vaiko

China is Sri Lanka’s largest bilateral lender owning 52% of the $40 billion external debt when Sri Lanka announced its sovereign default in 2022.

The Chinese assurance comes days after the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which concluded its second review of the $2.9 billion bailout with Sri Lanka, said reaching an agreement with the country’s commercial creditors, the international bondholders and China Development Bank was the key to achieving debt sustainability.

During the high-level bilateral talks, the Chinese Premier praised Sri Lanka’s economic progress after a period of economic downside and said his country would also extend assistance to develop Katunayake International Airport, Hambantota Port and Colombo Port City, news portal NewsFirst.lk said.⍐