High-ranking US military official arrives in Sri Lanka to strengthen defence ties - Daily Excelsior

COLOMBO, Sept 29: A high-ranking US military official arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday for a three-day visit aimed at strengthening defence cooperation between Washington and Colombo, the US Embassy said.Lieutenant General Joel "JB" Vowell, the highest-ranking US Army officer to visit Sri Lanka, will hold engagements from September 29 to October 1, the embassy said in a statement.Vowell, who is the Deputy Commanding General of US Army Pacific (USARPAC), will meet senior Sri Lankan military officials to discuss strengthening interoperability, readiness and defence cooperation, including upcoming joint military exercises, capacity-building initiatives and cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster response, it said.He will also address the next generation of Sri Lankan military leaders on the role of professional armed forces in supporting regional security and stability."Lieutenant General Vowell's historic visit reflects the growing strength of our security partnership with Sri Lanka and our shared commitment to delivering results," US Ambassador Eric Meyer said."By training together, strengthening interoperability, and sharpening our ability to respond to crises, we are better prepared to protect our people and strengthen security across the Indian Ocean," he said.The visit comes after the US embassy earlier this month provided training to Sri Lankan military personnel on detecting and deterring nuclear smuggling and responding to maritime sanctions evasion that threatens US security interests. The two training programmes lasted five and three days, respectively. (PTI)