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US, Aus, Canada welcome Sri Lanka's political developments

The United States' ambassador to Sri Lanka, Alaina Teplitz today said the US "welcomes this weekend's political developments, which upheld Sri Lanka's democratic and constitutional norms," following Rajapaksa's resignation as Sri Lanka's prime minister and Ranil Wickremesinghe's re-appointment to the post. 

"Sri Lanka is a valued partner in the Indo Pacific and we look forward to continuing to develop our relationship with the government and people of this country," Teplitz tweeted. 

Her words were echoed by Canada's ambassador, Chrystia Freeland, who tweeted:

"Sri Lanka’s judiciary has upheld the rule of law, bringing an end to the unconstitutional actions which undermined Sri Lanka’s democracy. The government must seize this moment and deliver on accountability, constitutional reform + reconciliation for the people of Sri Lanka."

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland tweeted: 

"I welcome the resolution of the political crisis in Sri Lanka. This development highlights the resilience of Sri Lanka's institutions, the country's adherence to the rule of law, and the people's strong commitment to democratic processes."

Earlier today the European Union also said it welcomed the "peaceful and democratic resolution" of Sri Lanka's political crisis. 

The Australian High Commission in Colombo also welcomed the developments. 

"We look forward to working with the Sri Lankan Government to take forward its commitments to deliver peace, reconciliation and prosperity, and to build a stronger bilateral relationship,” the High Commission added in a statement. 

The re-appointment of Wickremesinghe comes after almost two months of political turmoil which saw the dissolution of parliament, widespread reports of bribery and parliamentary violence. 

The crisis resulted in a declining rupee, downgrading of the country's sovereign by credit agencies and a suspension of international funds. 

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