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T V Parasuram in Washington
Describing as 'courageous' Sri Lanka's efforts to end its long and devastating civil war, the US has promised full support to the peace process and economic development of the strife-torn island nation.
President George W Bush 'expressed his appreciation for Sri Lanka's strong democratic tradition' and welcomed the initiatives taken by visiting Lankan Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, supported by the Norwegian government, to bring the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to the negotiating table.
Bush offered US 'support for Sri Lanka's pursuit of peace in this endeavour' and offered to help the country develop its economy, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said at a briefing on Wednesday.
The US President also proposed to send several teams to Sri Lanka 'to assess how best we can work together in those areas'.
Emerging from his meeting with the US president, Wickremesinghe said he appreciated the help rendered both by Washington and New Delhi.
"We have been in active consultation with the Government of India, and they have helped us," Wikremesinghe told reporters, adding, "The Government of India and the Government of US have all been working together on this, consulting each other... the European Union has also been active."
"President Bush and the US government has given us all the encouragement to go ahead with the political process to bring peace to Sri Lanka," he added.
Wickremesinghe said governments had failed in the past because they had not associated the people with the reconstruction. He hoped to change that and exuded confidence that the LTTE will participate in projects to improve the condition of the people in war-devastated areas.
He told the press conference that the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US changed the political climate in Colombo for the better.
"Even without the terrorist strike on the US, Sri Lankan parties would probably have moved towards peace. However, the September 11 terrorist attacks on US accelerated the process of moving towards peace in Sri Lanka," he said.
"It helped create an environment for settlement," he pointed out.
In addition, the president and the prime minister welcomed the intent of the US Peace Corps to return to Sri Lanka as soon as conditions permit.
Bradman Weerakoon, secretary to the prime minister, said that 15 per cent of the population of Sri Lanka and 25 per cent of the land area have been badly hit by the conflict.
Wickremesinghe also met with Secretary of State Colin Powell and with World Bank officials. His visit is the first to Washington by a Sri Lankan leader in 18 years.
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