ECT Crisis: Govt. undecided on 2019 ECT development agreement

Colombo (News 1st); Sri Lanka will continue to maintain its close relations with India despite the issue over the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port, announced Joint Cabinet Spokesperson Minister (Dr.) Ramesh Pathirana on Tuesday (02). 

Speaking to reporters the Minister said the Sri Lanka Government will explain the present situation on the ECT issue to India.

However, the government is yet to reach a decision on whether the 2019 trilateral agreement between Sri Lanka, Japan, and India would be terminated, he added.

On Monday (01) the Indian High Commission in Colombo stated the expectation of the Government of India is for expeditious implementation of the trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) signed in May 2019 among the Governments of India, Japan, and Sri Lanka for the development of ECT with participation from these three countries.

Joint Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Udaya 

Gammanpila

 said the East container Terminal is strategically important for Sri Lanka and therefore the Cabinet of Minister decided Sri Lanka to have complete control of ECT.

'Only ECT has the facility for 

back-to-back

 operations between terminals and that is why there was concern over ECT,' said the Minister adding the West Container Terminal has no strategic importance and therefore it will be developed with foreign investments.

He said the development of WCT with foreign investments is mentioned in the national policy framework of the President.