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PM invited for McCain’s funeral, but couldn’t go
View(s):Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had to turn down a request from the widow of US Senator John McCain to attend his funeral yesterday in Washington DC, citing the absence of President Maithripala Sirisena from the country on state business and the requirement for him to be at home.
The late US Senator, considered a national icon, had scripted his funeral arrangements in which he had specifically asked that US President Donald Trump be not invited for his funeral and for former Presidents George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, both of whom ended Sen. McCain’s bid for the White House, to deliver the eulogies at the memorial service.
US Senator McCain, a US naval officer during the Viet Nam war was held a Prisoner of War in Ha Noi for five years and served as a US Congressman for 35 years.
His widow, Cindy McCain, visited Sri Lanka in 2004 when Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was in office.
Devinda Subasinghe, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the US from 2002-2005, was present at yesterday’s funeral.