the international community waited nearly three years for action and the United States is concerned. "We know from experience that there can be no lasting peace without reconciliation and accountability, but the United States is concerned that, in Sri Lanka, time is slipping away," Otero said. Welcoming the release of the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) the US official stressed that Sri Lanka must implement the domestic Commission's recommendations. Otero said the US has been engaged with Sri Lanka bilaterally on the issues since the conflict ended in May 2009 and expressed the readiness of US to continue to work with Sri Lanka to address the accountability and to achieve lasting peace. "Action now in this Council will sow the seeds of lasting peace in the ground," Otero said. The Council plans to table a resolution with the support of the United States and several European member states to pressure the government of Sri Lanka to promptly implement the LLRC recommendations and address the accountability for the war crimes allegedly occurred during the final phase of the battle with the Tamil Tiger terrorists. The US backed draft resolution calls on the Sri Lankan government to implement the constructive recommendations in the LLRC report and requests the government to present a comprehensive action plan before the next regular session of the UNHRC. The backers of the resolution say it is an opportunity for the Sri Lankan government to describe how it plans to implement the LLRC recommendations. Sri Lanka says the government is taking measures to implement the LLRC recommendations methodically and it needs time and space to work towards reconciliation without interference from the international community.
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