US wants to move forward in its relations with Lanka- Blake [May 03 2011]

"In general we want to move forward on our relations with Sri Lanka. Although everybody is very focused on the Panel of Experts Report, we have wider relations with Sri Lanka than just that. I want to discuss the full range of issues on our agenda," the former Ambassador to Sri Lanka has said.

When asked what his message to the Sri Lankan government is, the envoy has said that he will keep his message private until he actually delivers it to the Sri Lankan government but he will hold a press conference afterwards.

"I'm looking very much forward to having the opportunity to travel up to the north for the first time ever in my career to Kilinochchi and to Mullaitivu which were formerly LTTE-controlled areas when I was there. So I've never actually seen either of those cities. We have quite a lot of U.S. Agency for International Development cooperation going on there, and I'm going to have a chance to not only see some of that but also to meet with some of the NGOs that are active there. I'm very much looking forward to that," Blake has said.

PTI