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 by Staff Writers Colombo (AFP) June 30, 2018
Sri Lanka will move its southern naval command to a port leased to a state-run Chinese firm but China will not use it for military purposes, the prime minister's office said Saturday. Colombo's announcement will likely raise fresh concerns in New Delhi over China's military potentially getting a foothold in the Indian Ocean through the deep-sea port of Hambantota, which straddles a major east-west shipping route. "The Sri Lanka navy is moving its Southern Command to Hambantota," Ranil Wickremesinghe's office said. But it added: "There is no need to be frightened as security of the port will be under the control of the Sri Lanka Navy. "Sri Lanka has also informed the Chinese that Hambantota cannot be used (by China) for military purposes," it said. Sri Lanka owes China billions of dollars that former president Mahinda Rajapakse's government borrowed for major infrastructure projects, including the Hambantota port located on the island's southern tip. But unable to pay back the debts, Sri Lanka agreed last year to give China a 70-percent stake in the port on a 99-year lease. This stoked concerns in India and the US about China's Belt and Road initiative that has seen Beijing loan countries across Asia and beyond huge amounts of money, ostensibly to develop their infrastructure to ease trade. The new government of President Maithripala Sirisena turned down a Chinese request in May last year for a submarine call at Colombo shortly after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the island. Two Chinese submarines had called at Colombo in 2014 during the final year of Rajapakse's tenure. Sirisena came to power in January 2015 promising to loosen ties with China.
NATO chief congratulates Erdogan on Turkey election win Luxembourg (AFP) June 25, 2018 NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Monday congratulated Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his re-election, but stressed the alliance was founded on "core values" of democracy, rights and rule of law. Erdogan won another five years in office in Sunday's vote and immediately pledged to implement changes that boost his authority, which opponents fear will give him autocratic powers. Turkey is an important member of NATO because of its strategic location bordering Iraq and Syria and close to Russ ... read more
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