COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has refused a request from the United States to station two missile-armed warplanes at a civilian airport in the island’s south, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said on Friday, reaffirming the country’s policy of neutrality amid escalating regional tensions.
Addressing parliament, Dissanayake said Washington had sought permission on February 26 to relocate two aircraft from a base in Djibouti to Mattala International Airport between March 4 and 8.
The request was declined to ensure Sri Lanka’s territory was not used for military purposes that could support or hinder either side in the conflict, reports AFP.
“They wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight anti-ship missiles to Mattala International Airport… and we said ‘no’,” he told lawmakers.
He did not specify whether the US intended to use Sri Lanka as a base for operations against Iran, but military sources said Colombo would not allow its airspace to be used for aggression against any country, in line with its foreign policy.
Sri Lanka was drawn closer to the fallout of the conflict when a US submarine torpedoed an Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, just off its coast in early March.
Dissanayake said Iran had also requested permission for three of its warships to dock in Colombo between March 9 and 13, around the same time as the US request.
“Had we said ‘yes’ to Iran, we would have had to say ‘yes’ to the US too,” he said. “But we didn’t. We are steadfastly maintaining our position of neutrality.”
The president added that Sri Lanka would not “succumb to pressure from anyone,” drawing applause in the 225-member legislature.
The March 4 attack on IRIS Dena killed at least 84 sailors. Sri Lanka’s navy and air force rescued 32 crew members and recovered bodies from the wreckage.
A second Iranian vessel, IRIS Bushehr, was allowed to enter Sri Lankan waters amid concerns for the safety of its 219 crew, who were later sheltered in Colombo.
“It was a humanitarian gesture… we were saving lives,” Dissanayake said.
A third ship, IRIS Lavan, reached the Indian port of Kochi, with some sailors returning home, according to Indian officials.
Dissanayake said Sri Lanka had further demonstrated its neutral stance by abstaining from a UN Security Council resolution condemning Iran’s actions.
“We did not support that resolution because it was a half-truth… we stand for justice and fairness,” he said.
Sri Lanka maintains close ties with both the United States, its largest export market, and Iran, a key buyer of Sri Lankan tea.
