Senior US official visits Lanka

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Don Camp visited Colombo April 20-22 as part of the US Government's regular, ongoing consultations with the Sri Lankan Government, the US embassy said.

During his visit, Camp met Senior Government Officials, including Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, and Justice Ministry Secretary Suhada Gamlath. He also met leading political figures, civil society leaders, and business representatives.

Characterising his meetings as "useful and frank, in the way of long time friends" Camp also said, "We value the dialogue we continue to have with the Government, as well as the lines of communications we maintain with Sri Lanka's political, business, and civil society leaders.

Many of the issues we discuss are difficult ones, particularly on human rights and the resolution of the conflict, but the US will remain engaged in the hope of seeing progress," Camp also welcomed initial measures to demobilise TMVP child soldiers, urged progress on human rights, and stressed the importance of free and fair elections in the East, without violence or intimidation.