Sri Lanka undecided over stance on Myanmar

COLOMBO (News1st): Sri Lanka will decide its stance on Myanmar's military junta in future, foreign relations minister Dinesh Gunawardana said. "It can be decided in the future," Gunawardana told reporters on Friday. This was after Sri Lanka's invitation to the foreign minister of Myanmar's military government to attend the BIMSTEC meeting drew widespread condemnation, including on social media. "The letter was sent based on a decision made two months ago to invite all the relevant countries," the foreign minister insisted. The Sinhala Ravaya organization staged a protest opposite the Myanmar Embassy in Colombo opposing Sri Lanka's invitation. "The invitation extended to the foreign minister of the military government is a sign of support," Ven. Akmeemana Dayarathana Thero, the general secretary of the Sinhala Ravaya National Organization said. "We call on the foreign minister to cancel this invitation."