GL meets with White House National Security team

WASHINGTON: Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris met with top US national security officials Thursday to build on the long-standing US-Sri Lankan ties, emphasising how economic development has helped sustain peace and build prosperity after the defeat of terrorism three years ago.

Minister Peiris took part in a cordial meeting with Samantha Power, a special assistant to US President Barack Obama and also senior director of Multilateral Affairs on the staff of the National Security Council.

Michael Newbill, the NSC director for South Asia and Jason Donovan of the NSC staff also took part in the meeting.

Minister Peiris gave the NSC staff members a comprehensive update on  post-conflict developments in Sri Lanka, progress on reconciliation and the work of Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, including the Government’s effort to adopt the commission’s recommendations.

The LLRC was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to review the conflict against the LTTE, which ended with the LTTE’s defeat on 19 May, 2009.

It returned its final report in December 2011 and the Government has since established a mechanism through the presidential secretariat to adopt many of its recommendations, several of which are already in place. 

Accompanying Minister Peiris in the talks was a delegation of Sri Lankan Government officials, including Environment Minister Anura Piyadhashana Yapa, Monitoring MP of External Affairs Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Sri Lankan Ambassador to US Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Kshenuka Senewiratne, Additional Secretary/External Affairs and Esala Weerakoon, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Sri Lankan Embassy in the US.  

Minister Peiris also attended an event held in his honour on Capitol Hill that was hosted by members of Congress.

On Thursday evening he addressed members of the Sri Lankan community who gathered at the Ambassador’s residence.