• This issue cannot be downplayed simply as a matter of commercial litigation

The political movement ‘43rd Brigade’ headed by MP Patali Champika Ranawaka requested Foreign Affairs Minister Prof.G.L. Peiris to take effective measures to avoid further deterioration of diplomatic relations with Russia.

 “We are deeply concerned about the diplomatic crisis that has arisen between Sri Lanka and the Russian Federation—a long-standing, consistent friend of Sri Lanka—over the detention of an airliner belonging to Russian flag carrier Aeroflot by Sri Lanka’s aviation authorities, pursuant to an enjoining order from the Commercial High Court in Colombo.

Russia has already formally expressed its displeasure, having summoned the Sri Lankan envoy in Moscow to the Russian Foreign Ministry; and Aeroflot has proceeded to suspend its commercial flights to Colombo.
It is abundantly clear that this issue cannot be downplayed simply as a matter of commercial litigation. Russia has been a long-standing dependable friend of Sri Lanka who has consistently stood by Sri Lanka on the international scene during times when such solidarity was most needed.

In the meantime, Russia has also been an important trade partner, continually providing a prime market for Sri Lanka’s tea, and accounting for a major segment of Sri Lanka’s tourism income. Russia is also apparently positively considering our recent request for a US$ 300 million loan and, further, the possibilities for the supply of petroleum and fertiliser to help Sri Lanka out of the unprecedented economic crisis that we are currently in.
Despite the fact that the issue in contention is, technically or otherwise, a matter of commercial litigation between two non-state parties, this in no way absolves the government from the critical proactive role that becomes naturally incumbent upon it in addressing this vital diplomatic issue. In fact, it is our opinion that the government should have proactively initiated appropriate diplomatic action from its end, rather than going into an apparent diplomatic hibernation, before the Russian response,” he wrote.   

• Russia has also been an important trade partner, continually providing a  prime market for Sri Lanka’s tea, and accounting for a major segment of  Sri Lanka’s tourism income