Mike Pompeo’s staff in Sri Lanka ahead of US State Secretary's visit

Colombo (News 1st); Members of US State Secretary Mike Pompeo’s staff have arrived in Sri Lanka to prepare for his visit. In a statement, US Embassy in Sri Lanka said that all aspects of their arrival and stay have been organized in close coordination with the Government of Sri Lanka. A senior State Department official said the United States is urging the country to make “difficult but necessary choices” to secure its economic independence instead of choosing opaque practises. According to Reuters, in a telephonic briefing with reporters, U.S. officials warned the Sri Lankan government about who they team up with for their economic partnerships. Dean Thompson, principal deputy assistant secretary at State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs has said “We encourage Sri Lanka to review the options we offer for transparent and sustainable economic development in contrast to discriminatory and opaque practises,”