US diplomat cancels Trincomalee visit

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 May 2003, 14:27 GMT]
The Assistant Secretary of State in the US government Ms Christina Rocca cancelled her visit to Trincomalee due to inclement weather, diplomatic sources said. On her two-day visit to Sri Lanka, Ms. Rocca was scheduled to visit Trincomalee Tuesday to hold talks with Sri Lanka navy officials in the east port town in addition to a luncheon discussion with selected leading citizens of the area at a tourist resort in Nilaveli, sources said.

Later she was to visit the historic Koneswaram temple in Trincomalee before leaving to Colombo, sources said.

Meanwhile, Ms. Rocca Tuesday held discussions with President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge regarding the stalled peace talks between the GOSL and the LTTE. During the discussion President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge is reported to have told the US diplomat that peace talks should be taken forward by resolving the issues between government and LTTE through negotiations.

Sri Lankan President has expressed satisfaction over the stand taken by the US government in lifting the ban on the LTTE, presidential secretariat sources said. The US government’s position is that it would consider lifting the ban if the LTTE renounced terrorism and the concept of a separate state, diplomatic sources said.

Ms Christina Rocca Monday met the Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe and discussed in detail the future approach of the peace talks in view of the stand taken by the LTTE to suspend its participation until decisions arrived at six-rounds of talks held earlier are implemented, sources said.

In the meantime Norwegian Foreign Minister Mr.Jan Peterson is expected to arrive in Colombo Wednesday to hold talks with government leaders and the LTTE leadership in Vanni regarding the Aid Donor Summit in Japan next month, sources said.

Related Articles:
16.05.03   Rocca Urges Continuation of Sri Lankan Peace Negotiations