Sri Lanka and Russia have agreed to establish a joint working committee comprising of officials from the two sides to meet regularly to address issues and concerns of the Sri Lankans, who have been in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Both sides agreed to continue the engagements on the matters at hand.
This decision has been taken during the discussion held between Sri Lankan delegation led by State Foreign Minister Tharaka Balasuriya and Russian Federation’s Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Andrey Rudenko and Deputy Defence Minister of the Russian Federation Colonel General A. V. Fomin in Moscow.
Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya visited the Russian Federation from June 26 to 27 and had discussions with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Andrey Rudenko and the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Colonel General A. V. Fomin regarding Sri Lankans who are deployed in the Russian Armed Forces on contractual basis.
“The interactions centered on the 17 Sri Lankans killed in action, payment of compensation for the deceased and the wounded, plight of the uncontactable Sri Lankans, possibility of voluntary returns, early termination of contracts and regularization of remuneration”. During the meeting, Sri Lanka proposed to establish a joint working committee comprising of officials from the two sides to meet regularly to address issues and concerns of the Sri Lankans, who have been deployed. Both sides agreed to continue the engagements on the matters at hand.
The high-level delegation led by the State Minister included MPs Dayasiri Jayasekera and Gamini Waleboda, Defence Ministry Secretary Gen. Kamal Gunaratne, Charge d’Affaires of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation Ambassador P.M.Amza, Additional Solicitor General Harippriya Jayasundara, Foreign Affairs Ministry Consular Affairs Director General Sisira Senavirathne and former Ambassador Dr.Saman Weerasinghe and Sri Lanka Embassy officials in the Russian Federation.
