Foreign Secretary tells US State Department:

Forces exercising extreme caution

Sri Lankan forces are exercising extreme caution to safeguard civilians held hostage in the no-fire zone by the LTTE, Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona told US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher and other State Department officials Friday 10 April 2009 in Washington.

During meeting, Assistant Secretary of State, Boucher reiterated the call by the Tokyo Co-Chairs - which comprises the U.S., Japan, the European Union and Norway - for the LTTE to "allow civilians to move freely out of harm's way."

Boucher also raised the possibility of having an individual meet with LTTE leaders to discuss a surrender under which the LTTE would lay down their weapons.

A press release issued by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington also said:

"The Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary vehemently denounced allegations that the Sri Lankan security forces are shelling civilians within the government-declared no-fire zone. He said there is no substantiated evidence to support this claim. Furthermore, there is no advantage at all to the security forces in shelling civilians.

"The Foreign Secretary also noted that it was the government - not the LTTE - that had declared the no-fire zone to protect the civilians the LTTE had "herded" into this small area.

"The Foreign Secretary pointed out that the government has continued to deliver food and medicine to the no-fire zone, and to aid the evacuation of civilians. These supplies, he said, are also being used by the LTTE.

"The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State raised the possibility of using representatives from the United Nations and the ICRC to process the internally displaced persons now residing in 13 government IDP centres.

"He said that the government's goal is to return the displaced to their homes quickly following the experience in the Eastern Province.