LLRC report was not main feature at TNA – Blake meeting

12 September 2011 08:25 am

US Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake who is on a visit to Sri Lanka met with TNA leader R. Sambanthan and MP M. Sumanthiran at the Hilton Colombo today. According to the leader of the TNA, issues pertaining to the national question was discussed at the meeting. Blake was accompanied by the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Patricia Butenis and the Political Secretary to the Embassy Paul Carter.

According to Sambanthan a whole gamut of issues were discussed and views were exchanged during the meeting. “It was a cordial and constructive meeting in which we discussed a whole gamut of issues pertaining to the national questions in the past, present and future.” he said. When asked as to the outcome of the meeting the TNA leader was non committal stating, “We don’t make decisions based on these meetings however, we understood both positions and it was a very useful exchange of views.”

Sambanthan stated that the LLRC report which was due in November was not a main feature of the agenda. “It was referred to in passing but it was not one of the main things we spoke about,” he said. (FM)