NEW JERSEY-- Addressing a gathering of more than 600 expatriates at the Sri Lanka national day celebrations here, US Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. complimented the government for its battlefield successes against the LTTE.
"I am not a military expert," said Pallone, "but my view is that we should be thankful as a country that Sri Lanka was successful in rooting out terrorism."
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| Frank Pallone Jr. |
Pallone, a longstanding member of the US House of Representatives and chairman of the Sri Lanka Caucus in the US Congress, said the US has been fighting its own battles against terrorists, both at home and abroad -- regardless of the reasons for it.
"We have lots of lessons we can learn from Sri Lanka. We should take advantage of it," he said, to cheers from the Sri Lankan audience.
Pallone lamented the fact that in recent months US-Sri Lanka relations had "soured" but he was confident it will get back on track.
He called for a strengthening of trade and investments between the two countries and an increase in US military training of Sri Lankan armed forces.He said the US has a long tradition of resolving its minority problems. "Sri Lankan can emulate us," he said, adding that Tamils should be a part of a united Sri Lanka.
The national day celebrations, presided over by Sri Lanka's UN envoy Palitha Kohona, were belatedly held at the Royal Albert Palace in New Jersey following a postponement due to a snowstorm. |
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