Officials from the French navy said that it was time to start a "solid" partnership with Sri Lanka, the Daily Mirror reported.

Tamil National Alliance leader R Sampanthan challenged the Sri Lanka state to hold a referendum in the North-East to decide on whether the Tamil people wanted a power sharing mechanism on the island.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror in a wide ranging interview, the TNA leader was questioned on whether proposals for federalism had the backing of the Tamil people of the North-East.

“People want genuine power sharing,” said Mr Sampanthan. “Have a referendum in the North and the East and decide.”

Sri Lankan police have intercepted at least two attempts to smuggle cannabis across the Tamil North-East in the last week, as drug dealing continues to rise across the former conflict area.

Tamil Diplomat reports that over 200 kilograms of cannabis was seized by Sri Lankan police after they searched two vehicles travelling from Mannar last week. Meanwhile another smaller seizure of 8kg was also made in the district, in the Talaimannar islet.

The coastal town has become an increasingly popular route for drug smugglers to deliver packages of narcotics which are thought to be produced across the Palk Strait in Southern India.

Smugglers have also looked to smuggle drugs to Jaffna, with Sri Lankan police stopping a fishing boat which was returning to Point Pedro on Sunday. A M Jaffar, Assistant Superintendent of Police for the Kankesanthurai region, though confirmed no drugs were found on the boat.  Acting on a tip off, Sri Lankan police raided the vessel but only found a sack of tamarind and a motorcycle. All 4 men aboard the boat have since been arrested.

Three people believed to have been abducted in Vadamaradchi are being detained by anti-drugs police in Trincomalee.

Mr Jeffrin, George Rasanayagam and V. Michael were believed to have been abducted as they were seized in vans by unidentified individuals and their families uninformed.

Sri Lanka's defence secretary, Karunasena Hettiarachchi said the TID's arrest of former LTTE commanders is in relation to the reported finding of a suicide vest and unexploded explosives in Jaffna.

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Hettiarachchi said he could not make any comment until the investigation was over.

"After the investigations over and a reports are submitted only we can make a statement," he was quoted by Colombo Page as saying.

Denying there was any threat to national security, he added, "we currently do not have such a threat but if there is such a situation we will be vigilant."

US Ambassador Samantha Power heaped praise on Sri Lanka as a “as a global champion of human rights and democratic accountability,” in a speech delivered in Washington on Thursday.

Speaking at the signing of the United States-Sri Lanka Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council, Ms Power said Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s administration “has made extraordinary progress” towards seeking “a durable peace, an accountable democracy, a new relationship with the outside world, and expanded opportunities for all”.

The ambassador also reiterated the “importance President Obama, himself, places on the United States’ bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka”.

“More specifically, our commitment – and his commitment – to Sri Lanka’s continued progress, and our determination to support President Sirisena in his efforts to ensure that this progress delivers socio-economic benefits for the people of Sri Lanka,” she added.

“Sri Lanka has, since January 2015, emerged as a global champion of human rights and democratic accountability,” the ambassador stated.