By Yohan Perera  

Highlighting on the future challenges faced by the security forces and Sri Lanka as a whole in the future, President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said the island nation may be used by terrorist groups to launch attacks on a third party.  

“Working towards avoiding such terror attacks is one of the major challenges faced by Sri Lanka in the future,” he said during the graduation of National Defence College last evening.  
“ We have had a war for 30 years and we have ended it victoriously and I am in discussion with the Tamil parties for a solution to the national issue. A final solution to the national issue would come in a few months,” he said.  

“ Sri Lanka does not want to see tension and rivalry among big powers in the Indian Ocean region,” the President said while stressing that Sri Lanka wants to see the Indian Ocean region as a peaceful zone.  

“ Sri Lanka will not engage in any military activities in the region. All our ports are used for only commercial activities. This is the case with the Hambantota Port as well. China has got a stake in the Hambantota port only as a debt management process,” he stressed.  

He said Sri Lanka should also focus on working with India and Maldives. “ We should train more Maldivians in the National Defence College,” he said in this regard.  

pic by pradeep pathirana