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Ambassador Subasinghe presents credentials to US Secretary of State
Powell recalls banyan tree at President’s House in
The United States has re-assured Sri Lanka its continued "unequivocal support" for the ongoing peace process. It came from Secretary of State Gen. (rtd.) Colin Powell during talks after Sri Lanka's new Ambassador to the United States, Devinda Subasinghe, presented his credentials on Friday.

During the talks Gen. Powell recalled his visit to Sri Lanka 20 years ago. That was soon after the ethnic violence in July 1983. He was in the company of then Defence Secretary Casper Weinberger and Richard Armitage, who was then Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defence.

Today Gen. Powell is Secretary of State and Mr. Armitage who was at the talks, his deputy. Gen. Powell had recalled how, soon after arrival at the Colombo airport. Mr. Weinberger's entourage was helicoptered to Colombo.

He remembered meeting late President J.R. Jayewardene and made particular mention of the banyan tree at the President's House only to draw a rejoinder from Mr. Subasinghe that the tree was still in good shape. Gen. Powell had expressed his desire to visit Sri Lanka in the near future.

Subasinghe extended an invitation from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the Secretary of State to visit Sri Lanka. He also conveyed the Prime Minister's appreciation of the role played by the U.S. in support of the peace process and economic development in Sri Lanka.

Subasinghe, an investment banker by profession, had studied and worked in the U.S. for over 25 years. He pledged that he would further a more enduring relationship between Sri Lanka and the United States.

He was Vice President of the Florida based Ramond James Financial Inc. He holds a MA in International Economics from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University and has previously served with the World Bank Group including the International Finance Corporation.

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