US values multifaceted relationship with Sri Lanka

Tuesday, 29 January 2013 00:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Following is the statement delivered by US Deputy Assistant Secretary James R. Moore at Tri-DAS Press Conference held yesterday.

It’s great to be back in Sri Lanka. It’s a privilege to travel here with two Washington colleagues who follow Sri Lanka closely.

Joining me are Vikram Singh, our Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia and Jane Zimmerman, our Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. We’d like to thank Ambassador Sison and our Sri Lankan friends for hosting our visit.

The United States has a long friendship with Sri Lanka dating back to its independence. We value this multifaceted relationship and our visit has been undertaken in this spirit.

We arrived in Sri Lanka on January 26 and have had constructive and candid meetings with the Sri Lankan government, military, political parties, and civil society in both Colombo and Jaffna. Our goal has been to hear from many different voices throughout Sri Lanka. We have met with Secretary of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and military commanders and look forward to meeting with Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of External Affairs G.L. Peiris, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and other officials.

Our relationship with Sri Lanka is broad and deep. From our work on clearing landmines, our humanitarian assistance, and education programs to our cooperation on maritime security and support for civil society and democratic institutions, we partner with Sri Lanka across a range of issues.

In all of our meetings we are discussing Sri Lanka’s efforts to implement its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission recommendations and National Action Plan, and the importance of accelerated progress to achieve lasting reconciliation and a durable peace. Key to this will be transparent governance, as well as following through with a process of accountability for events at the end of the war, including civilian casualties and credible allegations of human rights violations. We’ve also discussed the importance of a vibrant civil society, an independent judiciary, a free and independent media, and full respect for human rights. We welcome the government’s intent to have Northern Provincial Council elections in September and we encourage a resumption of talks between the TNA and the government.

Our hope as a longstanding friend of Sri Lanka is that Sri Lankans of all communities will soon be able to enjoy equal rights and dignity and share in a future that is secure and prosperous.