Foreign Minister betrayed by Basil and PB in Brussels
2009-10-04 | 3.25 PM
Diplomatic sources say that Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapakse and Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera who traveled to Brussels on a Presidential directive to secure the GSP+ facility have openly betrayed Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at their meetings with EU parliamentarians.
Basil Rajapakse has said the Foreign Minister had not informed the President or the government of the steps that needed to be taken in relation to the GSP+ facility and the threat of losing it and therefore the situation has now become difficult. Basil has further said the President has now understood that it was the
short sighted actions of the Foreign Minister and the former Chief Justice, which resulted in an unwanted clash between the two parties, and the government, was ready to remedy the mistakes. He has then pleaded with the EU representatives to consider the present situation and grant the GSP+ facility to the country.
P.B. Jayasundera has said that he has only been in the office of the Treasury Secretary for only two days so far and would present the necessary documents related to the EU conditions within one week.
An official from the Presidential Secretariat said although the response of the EU members to Basil’s and PB’s request is unclear, Rohitha Bogollagama’s days as the Foreign Minister were now numbered.
