US official visits Sri Lanka's former rebel-controlled areas

A high ranking United States official visited former Tamil rebel-controlled areas of northern Sri Lanka today to observe the progress of the post-war development in those areas and met with the country's major Tamil party.



Robert O. Blake, Jr., the Assistant Secretary for Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the U.S. State Department visited Mullaitivu today to get a firsthand look at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funded projects in the former LTTE stronghold.


He met with the government officials and discussed the progress in the resettlement of displaced persons in Mullaitivu district. Blake is also scheduled to visit Kilinochchi.


Blake met with the members of Sri Lanka's largest Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance yesterday after his arrival in the island.


According to local media reports, the meeting has lasted for about 90 minutes and the discussions were centered on the ongoing dialogue between the government and the TNA, the present political situation in the country and solutions for the problems faced by the Tamil people.


The TNA is engaged in talks with the government on finding a political solution to the ethnic issue.


The Assistant Secretary is to meet with External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris before his departure on Wednesday. However, he will not be meeting with the President.


Before his departure to Sri Lanka and Maldives on last Friday (April 29) Blake told the media that said that he has a message to deliver to the Sri Lankan government. He is scheduled to hold a a press conference before he leaves Sri Lanka tomorrow.