The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal said a lot of work remains to be done in Sri Lanka, in a statement released at the conclusion of her visit to the island.
Ms Biswal said she heard the TNA leadership's perspective for "meaningful progress on reconciliation and political inclusion", during her meeting with the party in Jaffna.
The assistant secretary also had "productive conversations" with President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, expressing US willingness to work with the new government.
"Clearly, there is a lot of work to be done. The United States looks forward to partnering with the Sri Lankan people to address the challenges and help Sri Lanka realize its true potential," she said.
See full statement below:
It was a privilege to visit Colombo to witness for myself the sense of excitement and optimism that the Sri Lankan people have ushered in through the historic January 8 election. In my meetings with government, civil society, private sector, and political parties, I heard a consistent message of hope about translating this promise into a brighter reality for all Sri Lankans.
I had very productive conversations with President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, Urban Development Minister Rauff Hakeem, and State Minister for Defence Ruwan Wijewardene.
In my conversation with the TNA leadership I heard their perspective for meaningful progress on reconciliation and political inclusion to ensure a peaceful, prosperous future for their constituents within Sri Lanka.
I also had a chance to meet with other political, civil society, religious, and business leaders. In all of these meetings I reiterated our desire to see the U.S.-Sri Lanka relationship grow to the benefit of both our nations.
I congratulated President Sirisena on his victory and expressed the United States’ willingness to work with the new government as it pursues a future for Sri Lanka that is peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous. Clearly, there is a lot of work to be done. The United States looks forward to partnering with the Sri Lankan people to address the challenges and help Sri Lanka realize its true potential.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
