The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha
The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha said discussions on broader tariffs are ongoing, but the immediate issue is the United States’ reciprocal tariff policy under its fair trade framework, which he described as a general US policy recalibration rather than a measure aimed specifically at Sri Lanka. He stated that Sri Lanka is preparing to respond through diplomatic channels, while noting US support in the country’s IMF-linked debt restructuring process. He added that the Government would avoid speculation until official details are released and would act strategically through continued diplomatic engagement.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, there are two aspects. Broad tariff discussions are already underway; that is not the immediate issue. The specific concern is the reciprocal tariff concept under fair trade. This is a US-wide policy recalibration, not targeted at Sri Lanka alone. We must engage within that framework, and we are preparing through diplomatic channels.
¶ 02 Further, in our debt restructuring with IMF involvement as we recover from a fractured situation, the US has been supportive. Therefore, it is not merely about reciprocal tariffs; the US assesses each partner in a broader context. Until concrete details are officially released, it is not appropriate to speculate. Our approach is to act strategically and diplomatically the moment definitive information is available, and to maintain robust diplomatic engagement accordingly, Hon. Member.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Tuesday, 18 March 2025 ·No. 1745915246032615 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 18 March 2025. No. 1745915246032615. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/8483