Monday, 24 September 2007

“The Government of Sri Lanka has achieved some important victories in the last several months. The expulsion of the LTTE from the East and the recent sinking of several LTTE ships carrying arms and other provisions mark important military successes,” said the US Ambassador Robert Blake.

Ambassador Blake made these remarks at a Seminar held recently on "Sri Lanka: the Way Forward" in Colombo.

“While the Government must continue to defend the nation against terrorist attacks, the way forward lies in continuing to lay the basis for a negotiated settlement that will meet the aspirations of all of Sri Lanka’s communities: Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese,” added the Ambassador.

A key part of that equation will be for the All Parties Representative Committee to complete its important work on a power-sharing proposal. From all accounts the APRC has made substantial progress.

We hope that all parties in the APRC will frame the final APRC proposals in a manner that avoids the use of divisive, emotive terms like “federalism” and “unitary.”

Let me a say a word about the stabilization and reconstruction process in the east, which also is an important part of the way forward.

Now that conflict has subsided in the east, the Government has a significant opportunity to stabilize and develop the east in a manner that would demonstrate to all Sri Lankans, but particularly Tamils and Muslims, that they have a bright future within a united Sri Lanka and that the Government is serious about ensuring their rights and providing opportunities equitably within a pluralistic state. In short, a successful transition in the east can be an important confidence builder and a building block for a future negotiation process.

In conclusion, let me emphasize that a solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict is in reach. But it will require Sri Lanka’s government and parties to work together to put the national interest first. The United States, as a friend of Sri Lanka and a Co-Chair, stands ready to assist in any way we can.”