Govt, TNA talks must resume - Blake

Chaminda PERERA

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian region and former US ambassador to Colombo Robert O Blake yesterday stressed the importance of early resumption of talks between the government and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to agree on power to be devolved to the provinces.

He emphasised the need to have an accelerated process to implement the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission ( LLRC) recommendations and its action plan. Blake also urged the government to hold the Northern Provincial Council election soon. Speaking at a press conference at the American Centre yesterday, the US Assistant Secretary of State said he met External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Presidential Special Envoy on Human Rights and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe. He said LLRC is a home grown process and government takes the ownership of the process.

Blake was of the view that progress has to be made in the implementation of the LLRC recommendations and its action plan.

He said the US is continuously engaged with Sri Lanka to achieve its goals in the field of reconciliation and accountability.