MR denies being told US will block Gota from being President

13 Jun, 2018

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today denied reports that he was told by the outgoing US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Atul Keshap that the US will not allow former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to contest and become the President of Sri Lanka.

Rajapaksa told the Colombo Gazette that while he did meet?Atul Keshap there was no discussion about preventing?Gotabhaya Rajapaksa from contesting the next Presidential election.

“The US cannot dictate terms to us,”?Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

He said that the meeting with?Atul Keshap was only a courtesy call by the outgoing envoy.

There were reports today that?Keshap had told Rajapaksa the US and other Western countries will not welcome the prospects of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa contesting the next election or becoming President. (Colombo Gazette)

Report by Ashanthi Warunasuriya

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