The United States is looking forward to work with the Sri Lankan Government to help them meet their commitments, particularly on the demining program, and US ready to provide additional funding for the NGOs engaged in demining program in Sri Lanka Robert O. Blake said Tuesday.
Robert O. Blake, Assistant Secretary of US for South and Central Asian Affairs at a press briefing on Tuesday while reminding Sri Lankan government's pledge to resettle as many IDPs as possible before the end of the year said, that as the future priorities in Sri Lanka, US is looking forward to seeing a plan from the Sri Lankan government about demining, and how the government is going to work with international NGOs.
When asked about the current situation in Sri Lanka, and Mr Blake said that the Sri Lankan Government has taken some steps on the humanitarian side. International access has improved inside the camps in Sri Lanka. International NGOs and other humanitarian organizations are able to get goods and services into the camps now, largely without restrictions. But there are still some issues with regard to access of the ICRC, which performs important protection works inside the camps and added that the Government is committed to try to do more.
He said as a future priorities, US is looking forward to see a plan from the Government about demining, and how the Government is going to work with international NGOs. He said that United States will also provide additional funding for those international NGOs to help the Government with its demining program.
He expressed hope that demining would enable very rapid resettlement of the almost 300,000 internally displaced persons in the camps.
"The Government has made important pledges to try to resettle as many IDPs as possible, before the end of the year. We hope that these pledges will be met and we look forward to working with the Government to help them meet these commitments, particularly on the demining program," Blake said.
Mr Blake the former US Ambassador to Sri Lanka said that India is a preeminent power in the region and US has consulted India on the whole range of issues in South Asia and have similar our views. About Sri Lanka, he said he coordinated very closely with his Indian counterpart, High Commissioner Alok Prasad, and both have very close and similar views about the situation in Sri Lanka.
