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Press Statement Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman Washington, DC November 19, 2004
The Peace Process in Sri Lanka
Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage spoke this morning with Sri Lankan President Kumaratunga and opposition leader Wickremesinghe to express the United States’ continued support for the peace process and to urge all parties to work together to return to negotiations. He welcomed President Kumaratunga’s November 17 call for a return to negotiations as soon as possible. President Kumaratunga has been consistent and forthright in her commitment to settling outstanding issues in the peace process in the framework of a united Sri Lanka. Deputy Secretary Armitage praised the efforts of Norway to facilitate these talks.
The Deputy Secretary strongly condemned recent terrorist actions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam that fly in the face of efforts by all other Sri Lankans and the international community to bring peace to this war-torn country. The murder yesterday of an army officer, clearly carried out by the LTTE, is only the most recent assault on the peace process.
The United States calls on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to abandon terrorism in word and deed and return to the peace table.
2004/1265
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