US, India, Australia and Japan discuss crisis in Sri Lanka

<p>Senior officials from the United States, India, Australia and Japan met in Singapore yesterday to discuss the Indo-Pacific region, with the political crisis in Sri Lanka firmly on the agenda.&nbsp;</p> <p>US officials underscored the importance of "encouragement of an outcome to political developments in Sri Lanka consistent with democratic principles" during the meeting, the State Department said in a statement.&nbsp;</p> <p>"The officials reaffirmed a shared commitment to maintain and strengthen a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific in which all nations are sovereign, strong, and prosperous. They further highlighted the complementary visions for the region held by their four countries, grounded in a shared support for a free, open, and inclusive region that fosters universal respect for international law, freedom of navigation and overflight, and sustainable development."</p> <p>Sri Lanka has been at a state of political turmoil for several weeks following the president's sacking of the prime minister last month and the appointment of the former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new premier.&nbsp;</p> <p>Parliament was initially prorogued then dissolved before the Supreme Court intervened resulting in parliamentary sittings over the past two days which have been marred with violence.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p>