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US and international agency officials have expressed strong support for providing Sri Lanka with increased assistance for the peace process and reconstruction activities during the recent visit to the US by Milinda Moragoda, Minister for Economic Reform, Science and Technology.

"The Minister had a series of meetings with U.S. and international officials in which he consistently heard how much the international community supports the peace process and understands our need for financial support," said Devinda R. Subasinghe, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United States.

"As complicated as the world situation is now with regard to Iraq, it was heartening to see that the world community wants to work together to support Sri Lanka," he said. The week began with formal IMF and World Bank presentations at the U.S. government-hosted Pre-Tokyo Seminar on Sri Lanka at the U.S. State Department, calling for $1.1 billion in annual aid for the next three years to help the country recover from conflict. Minister Moragoda met with United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan at the U.N. Headquarters in New York; World Bank President James Wolfensohn; U.S. Commerce Secretary Donald Evans; Ambassador Robert Zoellick, U.S. Trade Representative; U.S. Congressman Jerry Weller, a Republican from Illinois who is co-chair of the Sri Lanka Congressional Caucus; U.S. Congressman Christopher Van Hollen Jr., a Maryland Democrat who lived in Sri Lanka when his father served as the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka in the early 1970s; U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage; U.S. Treasury Under Secretary (International Affairs) John B. Taylor, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley; Deputy Secretary of Commerce Samuel Bodman; and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control & International Security Affairs John Bolton and Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Peter Rodman.

The Minister met Vice President Dick Cheney and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz at a private reception.

During the meetings statements of support were made with respect to Sri Lanka's economic reform and economic development efforts and the country's move to become a regional trade hub in South Asia. There were also strong indications that United States has a favourable view of expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation with Sri Lanka. Plans were discussed for a special visit of U.S. Congressmen to Sri Lanka this summer.

It was clear that there is wide respect for the work the Sri Lankan government is doing to maintain peace and rebuild the nation and also a true recognition that the international community must play a vital role in our recovery process, Ambassador Subasinghe said.

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