Japan says no pact with SL to co-chair debt summit

Japan yesterday said it had not reached any agreement with Sri Lanka to co-chair a creditor conference on behalf of Sri Lanka.

“We have not reached such an agreement. It might be their wishful thinking but the situation remains unchanged,” Reuters said quoting an unnamed Japanese government official with knowledge of the matter.

Sri Lanka is currently in the process of negotiating with its external creditors, including Japan, China and India, to restructure around US$ 30 billion in foreign debt after the country defaulted on its debt in May.

The denial from Tokyo came after less than an hour after Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office said on Thursday that Japan had agreed to co-chair the meeting with negotiators

Wickremesinghe’s office later issued a clarification saying Sri Lanka had requested Japan to co-chair the summit. Japan would also help Sri Lanka in its credit restructuring process, Wickremesinghe’s office said.

“Japan will stand ready to provide full support for Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring provided that necessary conditions are met,” the Japanese government official said