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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Tremendous progress in reconstruction efforts - Rocca

There has been "tremendous progress" in post-tsunami reconstruction work in Sri Lanka, US Assistant Secretary of State Christina B. Rocca observed yesterday.

Addressing a gathering of journalists and academics at the American Centre in Colombo after an assessment tour of Kalmunai in the East, Rocca said the US would continue to cooperate closely with the Sri lankan Government in the reconstruction process.

Rocca, on her fourth official visit here, said much work has been done in the East in terms of reconstruction and rehabilitation. Much remained to be done in the region to recover totally from the calamity. She visited several reconstruction programmes funded through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

"The US will remain engaged in the recovery process," she stressed. Rebuilding is a significant challenge and the US is fully supportive of Sri Lanka's efforts in that direction, she added.

She remarked that peace would be the key to accelerated progress in Sri Lanka and urged the Government and the LTTE to return to the negotiating table. The US was fully backing Norwegian efforts to bring the two sides together to resolve the conflict. She expressed the hope that both sides would be able to reach an understanding on the distribution of tsunami aid.

"There is no change regarding our position on the LTTE.

It must renounce violence in word and deed, stop the recruitment of children and stop murdering political opponents," she added.

The US, which has banned the LTTE, would have no dialogue with the LTTE unless and until it completely renounces all forms of terrorism, she said.

Rocca said the Sri Lankan economy seems to have weathered the tragedy. The US would assist Sri Lanka in the economic sphere as well, being a major trading partner.

"There is excellent cooperation between the US and Sri Lanka. We will continue and enhance that relationship."

Rocca, in Sri Lanka to survey United States-funded tsunami reconstruction efforts, will also meet Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

In the East, she met NGO representatives working with USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) to build transitional shelters, sponsor clean up operations and reinforce local agriculture.

Rocca heads the US State Department's Bureau of South Asian Affairs, which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.