Lunstead tells LTTE - Renounce violence

by Thava Sajitharan

"The USA will respond positively to the LTTE should it renounce violence", said Jeffrey Lunstead, the former Ambassador of USA to Sri Lanka who retired from his position last Tuesday.

Addressing the media in Colombo before he left for the States on Tuesday, Lunstead said the USA would continue to support the efforts of the Sri Lankan government to bring about peace in the island.

He said the USA was certain that no military solution would end the conflict in Sri Lanka. Urging the LTTE to give up violence, he said: "our goal is not to retain the LTTE in the list of banned terrorist groups but to get it off the list".