While insisting that the United States is not holding Sri Lanka to any special standards, Robert O. Blake, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South, and Central Asian Affairs of the US State Department said in an interview to the AFP news agency that a major issue for the US as well as for the international community is the question of accountability in Sri Lanka's war against the LTTE.
"As you know, the UN has estimated that many thousands of civilians were killed at the end of, in the final few months of the war. Those need to be investigated, preferably by the government of Sri Lanka and its own institutions," Blake said during the interview.
The Assistant Secretary noting that there are still a number of important steps to be taken said the US would prefer to see Sri Lanka taking its own measures to handle those issues.
"It's always best for a host nation to take responsibility for these sensitive issues. But I think also it's important to say that if Sri Lanka is not willing to meet international standards regarding these matters that there will be pressure to appoint some sort of international commission to look into these things," he cautioned.
Responding to a question, the Assistant Secretary said since the end of the war in May 2009 the focus is on three primary issues, namely the return of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the camps and all surrounding issues, reconciliation and accountability and the human rights.
While acknowledging that there is some progress in all three areas, the former Ambassador to the country said in each of the areas there's also more work that needs to be done.
Pointing out that Sri Lanka is one of the countries in South Asia that has great promise, the Assistant Secretary said to truly realize its potential, Sri Lanka must achieve national reconciliation so that all citizens of Sri Lanka experience the just and durable peace after the end of the war in May of 2009.
Blake welcomed government's initiatives to enter into a dialogue with the Tamil National Alliance to solve the minority community's problems and hoped that the postponed third round of talks can be rescheduled as soon as possible.
The US official praised the government for implementing some of the measures recommended by the country's own investigative body Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and appointing 350 Tamil-speaking police to serve in Jaffna.
Although the government has released many of the detained former combatants, Blake said a full accounting of who remains in custody and who has been released is necessary.
The United States has welcomed the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, Blake said, adding that the US is looking forward to the Commission's report to be submitted to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa in May.
Blake reiterated that the US would like to have good relations with Sri Lanka and hoped that the Sri Lankan government can take steps to improve human rights, to enhance democracy, enhance transparency, as they will be an important part of the national reconciliation effort.
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