The US embassy confirmed today that one purpose of Assistant Secretary of state Robert O. Blake’s visit, was to hold discusssions on the LLRC report.
The Lessons Learnt Reconciliation Commission headed by former Attorney General C. R. De Silva is due to release a report in November detailing its findings on the final phases of the war against the LTTE.
Victoria Nuland spokesperson for the State Department , during a press briefing held in Washington, stated that the department had taken note of the Amnesty International report ,which slammed the credibility of the commission, “We’ve taken note of the Amnesty report. I think where we stand is to wait for the Sri Lankan Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission to come out with its own report in November. Obviously, one of the purposes of Assistant Secretary Blake’s visit will be to talk to the Sri Lankans about that report and to do what we can to ensure that they are doing a thorough and credible job with it,” she said.
When probed further by journalists regarding a time line or dealine being given by the State Department for the completion of the report Nuland said that no such deadline has been set. “They themselves have said this report will be out in November. Our first goal is to ensure that it is a good, strong, credible report that can take Sri Lanka forward” she said. (FM)