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Saturday March 16, 5:53 PM US and Sri Lanka in talks on military cooperation The United States is holding talks with Sri Lanka on increasing military cooperation while supporting Norwegian attempts to broker peace in the island, a top visiting US official said here. The US assistant secretary of state for South Asia, Christina Rocca, said Washington was taking a higher profile in supporting Sri Lanka's peace process following the changed global situation since September 11. Rocca said the US marine general, Timothy Ghormley, who accompanied her on a visit to the war-torn northern peninsula of Jaffna Friday was discussing increased military cooperation with Sri Lankan authorities. "He is here to talk about military cooperation ranging from operating C-130s (Hercules aircraft) and other humanitarian matters," Rocca told reporters. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who held closed-door talks with Rocca Friday in the northern town of Jaffna said he asked for US help in removing land mines in the Jaffna peninsula. "We are looking for at least four de-mining teams of 10 each for about four months," Wickremesinghe said. "The US has told us that they will try to get us some equipment as soon as possible." Diplomatic sources have seen the US visits as a strong signal to the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to fall in line with the Oslo-backed peace process. Norway has brokered a truce between the government and the LTTE, who have been fighting for an independent homeland for the Tamil minority in the north and east of the island, which went into effect on February 23. Rocca said they were closely watching the peace process and hoped the Sri Lankans would be able to work out a political settlement that will not threaten the territorial integrity of the island. "The world situation has changed (since the September 11 terror attacks in the US) and there is a real opportunity for a good news story in South Asia," Rocca said. The US designated the LTTE as a foreign terrorist organisation in October 1997 and warned them that they must give up the use of terror tactics and their demand for a separate state in Sri Lanka. US ambassador here, Ashley Wills, Saturday reiterated that the US believed that a separate Tamil homeland called Eelam was unattainable and unnecessary and the Tigers must show a commitment to give up terrorism. Rocca told reporters that peace negotiations in Sri Lanka would be difficult and that there could be set backs. However, with the government and the LTTE entering into a bilateral truce they have indicated they have chosen "peace over war, reconciliation over division," Rocca said. She said she hoped that Sri Lanka's main political parties would adopt a bipartisan approach to resolving the long-running conflict which has claimed over 60,000 lives since 1972. During her visit Rocca was unable to meet with Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who has been critical of the peace process, but said the US had nevertheless conveyed a message to her through former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. "I understand she has a very busy schedule, but we have conveyed our message to Mr. Kadirgamar," Rocca said while answering a question on reports that Kumaratunga had not seen her because of her opposition to the truce deal. Wickremesinghe, who came to power by defeating Kumaratunga's People's Alliance government in parliamentary elections in December, became the first premier in 20 years to visit Jaffna. He had a 20-minute meeting with Rocca and Marine general Ghormley in Jaffna on Friday and they visited war-ravaged areas of the region. They travelled in a Special Forces C-130 aircraft, the first US plane to land at the Palaly airbase in the Jaffna peninsula. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Sports - live college hoops coverage http://sports.yahoo.com/ --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
