Tremendous progress in reconstruction efforts - Rocca
There has been "tremendous progress" in post-tsunami reconstruction
work in Sri Lanka, US Assistant Secretary of State Christina B. Rocca
observed yesterday.
Addressing a gathering of journalists and academics at the American
Centre in Colombo after an assessment tour of Kalmunai in the East,
Rocca said the US would continue to cooperate closely with the Sri
lankan Government in the reconstruction process.
Rocca, on her fourth official visit here, said much work has been
done in the East in terms of reconstruction and rehabilitation. Much
remained to be done in the region to recover totally from the calamity.
She visited several reconstruction programmes funded through the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID).
"The US will remain engaged in the recovery process," she stressed.
Rebuilding is a significant challenge and the US is fully supportive of
Sri Lanka's efforts in that direction, she added.
She remarked that peace would be the key to accelerated progress in
Sri Lanka and urged the Government and the LTTE to return to the
negotiating table. The US was fully backing Norwegian efforts to bring
the two sides together to resolve the conflict. She expressed the hope
that both sides would be able to reach an understanding on the
distribution of tsunami aid.
"There is no change regarding our position on the LTTE.
It must renounce violence in word and deed, stop the recruitment of
children and stop murdering political opponents," she added.
The US, which has banned the LTTE, would have no dialogue with the
LTTE unless and until it completely renounces all forms of terrorism,
she said.
Rocca said the Sri Lankan economy seems to have weathered the
tragedy. The US would assist Sri Lanka in the economic sphere as well,
being a major trading partner.
"There is excellent cooperation between the US and Sri Lanka. We will
continue and enhance that relationship."
Rocca, in Sri Lanka to survey United States-funded tsunami
reconstruction efforts, will also meet Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse
and Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
In the East, she met NGO representatives working with USAID's Office
of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) to build transitional shelters,
sponsor clean up operations and reinforce local agriculture.
Rocca heads the US State Department's Bureau of South Asian Affairs,
which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka. |