US extends support to Sri Lanka, urges cooperation from all political parties to resolve debt crisis

Colombo [Sri Lanka], July 10 (ANI): The United States on Sunday extended its support to Sri Lanka amid the ongoing political crisis in the country and urged cooperation from all the political parties to resolve the debt crisis in the country.
US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung said that the United States stands with Sri Lanka while it takes a responsible and sustainable step toward resolving the debt crisis and creating a more equitable future for all.
"This is a fragile and substantial moment in Sri Lanka's history, and we urge restraint and respect from all directions to allow the Sri Lankan parliament to approach this juncture with a commitment to the betterment of the nation-not any one political party," Chung said in an official statement.
"The United States is closely following the ongoing political developments here in Sri Lanka, where thousands of people of all backgrounds have taken to the streets to demand accountability, transparency, and a better future for all Sri Lankans," she added.
She called on all parties to cooperate to achieve a peaceful, democratic transition of power and said that the United States and other international communities are in support of Sri Lanka to overcome the ongoing crisis.
"We call on all parties to cooperate to achieve a peaceful, democratic transition of power, and urge any new, constitutionally-selected government to work quickly to identify and implement solutions that will achieve long-term economic stability and address the Sri Lankan people's discontent over the worsening economic conditions, including power, food, and fuel shortages," she said.
"The United States, together with many other members of the international community, stands by to support as Sri Lanka takes responsible, sustainable steps toward resolving the debt crisis and creating a more equitable future for all," the statement further said.
The US Embassy also condemned the violence against the peaceful protesters and journalists and called for a full investigation and prosecution of anyone involved in violent incidents or destruction of property related to the protests.
The United States' statement comes amid the worsened political situation in the country.
Both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced to step down from their posts on Saturday. Despite President and PM agreeing to resign from their posts, protesters continue to protest outside the premises of the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat in Colombo as they don't trust him. They have cleared that they will continue to occupy their houses until they resign from their posts.
Notably, Sri Lanka is suffering its worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948, which comes on the heels of successive waves of COVID-19, threatening to undo years of development progress.
Some 6.26 million Sri Lankans, or three in 10 households, are unsure of where their next meal is coming from, according to the latest food insecurity assessment from the World Food Programme (WFP). (ANI)