Top US official to visit Sri Lanka next week

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 March 2004, 11:15 GMT]
Mr. Torkel L. Patterson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs in the United States Government will visit Sri Lanka as a part of his familiarization tour of the region, said US embassy sources.

He is scheduled to meet Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge, Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leaders of various political parties and members of the business community during his stay in Colombo.

He is also expected to meet leaders of Tamil political parties, Tamil sources said.

Earlier Mr. Patterson served as senior advisor to the US Ambassador to Japan. From 2001 to 2002 he was the special assistant to the U.S President and Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council. From 1991 to 1993 he served as Director of Asian Affairs on the National Security Council staff and from 1988 to 1991 Mr. Patterson was Senior Director for Japan in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.