#Colombo Sri Lanka refused permission for the US to land two of its warplanes in the island's southeast Mattala International Airport in early March, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament.

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"We want to maintain our neutrality despite many pressures. We won't give in. Middle East war poses challenges but we will do everything possible to remain neutral," he said. "They wanted to bring in two warplanes armed with eight anti-ship missiles from base in Djibouti to the Mattala International Airport and we said no," he said. Dissanayake's statement comes after his meeting with US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor.