(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) –Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the Foreign Affairs Ministry to inform the Russian authorities that the dispute on the Russian Aeroflot aircraft is not a diplomatic issue but a private legal matter between two companies.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has told the Russian authorities that the detention of a Russian Aeroflot flight in Sri Lanka via court order does not create a rift in the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
According to the Prime Minister’s Media Unit, the Prime Minister had a discussion with the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding Aeroflot aircraft issue and conveyed his stance via the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Prime Minister has also instructed Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to take necessary steps to expedite judicial proceedings regarding the aircraft as soon as possible.
The Prime Minister has instructed Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to hold a media briefing on the government’s stance on the Aeroflot aircraft, the Prime Minister’s Media Unit said.
Addressing a media briefing held today Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the suspension of Aeroflot flights to Sri Lanka has an economic impact on the country and necessary legal action would be taken to restore the relation.
The Minister said the Civil Aviation Authority had not committed any offense in connection with the detention of the controversial Aeroflot aircraft.
However, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva further stated that if Aeroflot had requested the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka to commence the flight, it could have been granted.
