US treads softly on Tigers’ territory

“Last week’s massive bomb attack in Colombo only underlines the importance of ending the fighting. We believe the Sri Lankan Government’s wide-ranging proposals for constitutional reforms are a solid basis for a peaceful solution to the tragic conflict,” he said.

When asked about the apparent contradiction, US officials denied there was any.

Inderfurth said the inclusion of the LTTE in the list of terrorist organisations under American law would curb its fund-raising activities in the US.

Asked whether this implies that the US will help the Kumaratunga Government in its action against the LTTE, Inderfurth said: “This is a domestic matter. This relates to what we will do within our country with respect to fund-raising and its assets. It does not speak to any further cooperation we may have with the Government of Sri Lanka. It very much relates to what we will do in this country.”

“With respect to the Sri Lankan Government, we do have all the normal, strong bilateral relationship with them. We have made it clear we will not engage directly in their insurgency and that we are not in a position of giving military assistance,” he said.

“On the other hand, we have normal bilateral assistance with respect to international military training and other relationship and those will be continued. But in terms of their insurgency and their war in the north, dealing with the LTTE, this is something that is very much a Sri Lankan matter,” he said.