Mr Milinda Moragoda, who recently took over as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to India, has been offered a Cabinet Rank by the Sri Lankan government, but the top Indian government officials have refused to accept the post, according to The Sunday Times’ political affairs editor. Although it has been about 14 months since Mr Moragoda was appointed Ambassador to Sri Lanka, top Indian government officials, including the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, has been reluctant to accept his appointment as Cabinet Ambassador, saying they are unable to formally hand over the relevant credentials to the Indian President. Due to this situation, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has asked Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry to resubmit the application updated without the Cabinet Rank. Delay of the submission from Sri Lanka Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not accepted his appointment the report said.
The Ministry of External Affairs of Sri Lanka has sent the agreement regarding to the post of Ambassador to Mr.Moragoda to the post of Ambassador of the Cabinet of Ministers of Sri Lanka to India. However, the file containing this post has been rejected by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs as it has no previous experience in presenting such a post to the President through the Indian diplomatic process. In this regard, the Sri Lankan Ministry of External Affairs to have failed to provide a proper explanation of the Cabinet position that the Ambassador receives and the conditions that such an Ambassador receives in his home country. However, sources said Sri Lanka expects due recognition a cabinet minister receives in the host country should be applicable for an Ambassador who is with Cabinet Rank.
However, the Indian government has now accepted him as the Indian ambassador to Sri Lanka and the relevant cabinet status has not been acknowledged, according to a Sunday Times political report. Mr. Moragoda recently took up his post at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Delhi.
