See below for extracts from a speech made by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State James Moore at a press event in Colombo.
Click here for complete statement in English, Tamil and Sinhala.
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 [...] 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 [...].
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.