Posted on December 21st, 2020
By Sugeeswara Senadhira/Ceylon Today
Colombo, December 21: In the final phase of the separatist war when the European Union threatened Sri Lanka with withdrawal of the GSP plus duty concessions, President Mahinda Rajapaksa called a meeting. Rajapaksa asked Minister G L Peiris how much the country would lose due to the withdrawal of GSP plus. The Minister said it would be roughly US$ 250 million. Rajapaksa’s instant reply was: Let them withdraw GSP plus we cannot sell the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country for US$ 250 million”.
So GSP was withdrawn and the war continued until terrorism was eliminated and the country’s unity preserved.