APRC best bet, says US speical envoy

Prawns for Mann

US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Steven R. Mann being served at the Beach Wadiya in Wellawatte, which he visited on Friday night. Pic. by Gemunu Wellage

The United States believed that the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) was the best platform to arrive at a broad political consensus to end the country’s ethnic problem, US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Steven R. Mann said on Friday.

Mr. Mann who was on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka met President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickemesinghe and several senior Government officials and civil society groups during his stay.

At a news briefing Mr. Mann said it was time to seize the opportunity available for a broad consensus with proposals put forward by opposition political parties as well as the Government to the APRC.

Mr. Mann also said the US Government took the issue of human rights violations very seriously and added this was one of the most important topics of discussion between him and the President.