The meeting between Robert Blake and President was lasted for one hour. More attention was focused in expanding relationship between the two countries. American Deputy State Secretary who came in the early morning hours met Foreign Affairs Minister G.L.Peiris in the afternoon and held discussions. Robert Blake who has come on a one day visit to Sri lanka departed to Maldives is according to reports.While he spoke at a media briefing yesterday evening he said, America and Sri Lanka have a long term relationship. America welcomes the victory achieved by President at the last Presidential and general election. This will make ways to find a final settlement to the racial crisis in Sri Lanka and to the future reconciliation was mentioned by him.
Blake noted that achieving reconciliation will be a key element in peace and one part of achieving reconciliation. He said, America wil given its continuous assistance to finish resettling all internally displaced persons, excavation of landmines. The coordination of America will be for trade opportunities to the resettled people, investments in the north was mentioned by him.
He said, during the past two years, America has granted 142 million dollars to Sri Lanka for humanitarian assistance. He said, government has progressed to an extent of resettling the displaced persons. Such advancements are welcomed by America.
He said, while he had discussions with the business society, he was able to understand mainly the developments in the fishing sector, bank and tourism industry. Robert Blake said, America will certainly encourage to these trades.
He said, in regard to the United Nation Expert panel, generally a wrong impressing is prevailing, but the panel is only originated to provide advice to Ban Ki Moon. He said the experiences acquired by this group will assist the panel which is originated by President. He said the crisis between the Untied Nation Organization and Sri Lanka has come to an extent to a settlement. Meanwhile devolution of powers between the provinces in Sri Lanka and the implementation of the amendment to the 17th constitution will pave way for reconciliation, media freedom, peace and will protect humanitarian rights which America feels was mentioned by Robert Blake.
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US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O Blake met Foreign Affairs Minister G.L.Peiris. He met President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday in the morning, met opposition party members, business society and civil social groups.
Sri Lankan government had informed that the land mines excavation in the Jaffna Vadamarachchi area has been done completely. Government believes, the resettlements could be expedited. [
Reports states, 89 thousand women living in the north and east provinces have lost their husbands due to war. Out of them 25,000 widows are living in the Batticoloa district is according to statistics reports. Tamil National Alliance Parliament Member P.Selvaraja made this statement. [
Reports states, the Sinhalese and Muslim businessmen are in the habit of grabbing the abandoned assets of displaced Vanni people. Towards these activities the military are engaged in duties in the Vanni region are cooperating is according to Vanni information. [
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Indian External Affairs Secretary Nirupama Rao visited Mullaitheevu today to find the situations in the district. She met the Mullaitheevu Government Agent Nagalingam Vethanayagam at 8.30 a.m. The Government Agent informed in detail about the situation of the resettled persons, and the request for Indian aid. She distributed Indian aid items to the resettled people. [
A leading Sinhala website had quoted a news item that Democratic National Alliance Leader Sarath Fonseka had suddenly suffering from ill health. The doctors from the navy forces are examining his health conditions is according to reports. [
Prof.C.K.Chittampalam made a statement that, arms supplied from India during the internal war in Sri Lanka, is the main cause for the massive devastation of Tamil civilians which is the general opinion from many Tamils. He made this comment while he met Indian External Affairs Secretary Nirupama Rao at the Jaffna Public Library yesterday. [
The Supreme Court of New Zealand Friday dismissed the appeal of the government seeking rejection of the refugee status of an Eezham Tamil who was captaining a ship carrying arms to the LTTE. [
Democratic People’s Front Leader Mano Ganeshan said, the Sri Lankan government does not have any concern to find a settlement to the crisis faced by the Sri lankan Tamils. [
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A senior Sri Lankan Army commander and frontline soldier have told Britain’s Channel 4 News that point-blank executions of Tamils at the end of the civil war in May 2009 were carried out under orders ‘from the top’. In an extended segment on Sri Lanka Tuesday, Channel 4 broadcast translated video interviews with the two soldiers. [