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US Secretary General Colin Powell spoke to the media at the Katunayake International Airport just before his departure to Nairobi. During his day long visit to Sri Lanka he saw for himself the tsunami devastation in Galle. Secretary Powell called on President Chandrika Kumaratunga on his return to the capital. Excerpts
from Secretary Powell’s responses to media questions “We are going to do more. We will provide support to the international community and work with them. USAID personnel are hard at work delivering food assistance, medical assistance and providing shelter. We are going to do more. Four million dollars worth of goods are being distributed now, another 10 million dollars is to be spent on employment programs that will employ Sri Lankans in the clean up and reconstruction efforts and start the economy going again in those parts of the country that were hit hardest.” “Another 10 million dollars will go to Sri Lanka for the purpose of constructing temporary housing until such time as permanent housing can be made available.” “Total US contribution at this point is roughly 25 million dollars or so and I expect it will go up in the days ahead as we get a better understanding of the needs of the Sri Lankan people.” “The President and I also talked about the program, the millennium challenge account, a new initiative of President Bush where we help developing nations that are committed to democracy and build their infrastructure. As a result of the tsunami I suggested to my President that he might review the original contract we had drafted with the Sri Lankan Government to see if any adjustments need to be made in to our planned program to take into account what has happened here.” How long will US marines stay? “We will be here for a long period of time by the simple fact that our embassies are here our USAID missions are here, US military forces are in the region. I can’t tell you how long they will stay; there are other missions that have to be deployed in due course. Our marines will be arriving in greater strength tomorrow. We expect engineering units and some medical personnel will be coming ashore in a next couple of days. But I cannot tell you how long those units will be here. But in terms of the recovery effort the principle agent responsible for the recovery effort is the Sri Lankan Government and as long as it takes them to restore infrastructure and reconstruct their society the United States will be here with them. But the numbers will vary in accordance with the need.” Any contacts with the LTTE? “I haven’t had any contacts with them. The reports I receive from the government suggest that aid is going into the northern part of the country, those parts of the country that are under their control. The Government believes that the Tamil regions are getting much or more and you’ll have to wait and measure that over time. But I know that aid is going there but I had no conversation with any of the members of the LTTE. “ “Marines for the most part…. I don’t have the details of their plan, but will be working for the most part in the southern part of the country. They will go to other parts of the country for medial purposes and up to the North to restore capacities of one of the hospitals. And I will leave to the military commander [Sri Lankan] to make judgments as to how best to deploy the forces that he will have available to him.” “Yes I was very impressed at how quickly they have completed their assessment, of losses, where the priorities need to be and what they need to do. I think it has been an impressive piece of work and that certainly gives me confidence they know how to spend the relief money, and know how to distribute the supplies and equipment which will be coming into the country.” US involvement in Sri Lanka’s peace process “As you know we have always tried to play a helpful role working with our Norwegian colleagues. My deputy, Secretary Mr. Richard Armitage has been deeply involved in the process.” “I don’t think our military presence in anyway shapes or affects the political situation. Ultimately the problem has to be solved between the parties concerned. United States military presence is strictly for humanitarian purposes and not in any way to influence political outcome one way or the other.” “We are hopeful however that if all Sri Lankans come together to deal with this common catastrophe, this common crisis, and work with each other and cooperate with each other, then perhaps that spirit of cooperation can be elevated and extended into the political dialogue and find a way forward to a political solution to this long standing crisis between government and the LTTE.” PowelI to media in Colombo US Secretary General Colin Powell spoke to the media at the Katunayake International Airport just before his departure to Nairobi. During his day long visit to Sri Lanka he saw for himself the tsunami devastation in Galle. Secretary Powell called on President Chandrika Kumaratunga on his return to the capital. Excerpts
from Secretary Powell’s responses to media questions “We are going to do more. We will provide support to the international community and work with them. USAID personnel are hard at work delivering food assistance, medical assistance and providing shelter. We are going to do more. Four million dollars worth of goods are being distributed now, another 10 million dollars is to be spent on employment programs that will employ Sri Lankans in the clean up and reconstruction efforts and start the economy going again in those parts of the country that were hit hardest.” “Another 10 million dollars will go to Sri Lanka for the purpose of constructing temporary housing until such time as permanent housing can be made available.” “Total US contribution at this point is roughly 25 million dollars or so and I expect it will go up in the days ahead as we get a better understanding of the needs of the Sri Lankan people.” “The President and I also talked about the program, the millennium challenge account, a new initiative of President Bush where we help developing nations that are committed to democracy and build their infrastructure. As a result of the tsunami I suggested to my President that he might review the original contract we had drafted with the Sri Lankan Government to see if any adjustments need to be made in to our planned program to take into account what has happened here.” How long will US marines stay? “We will be here for a long period of time by the simple fact that our embassies are here our USAID missions are here, US military forces are in the region. I can’t tell you how long they will stay; there are other missions that have to be deployed in due course. Our marines will be arriving in greater strength tomorrow. We expect engineering units and some medical personnel will be coming ashore in a next couple of days. But I cannot tell you how long those units will be here. But in terms of the recovery effort the principle agent responsible for the recovery effort is the Sri Lankan Government and as long as it takes them to restore infrastructure and reconstruct their society the United States will be here with them. But the numbers will vary in accordance with the need.” Any contacts with the LTTE? “I haven’t had any contacts with them. The reports I receive from the government suggest that aid is going into the northern part of the country, those parts of the country that are under their control. The Government believes that the Tamil regions are getting much or more and you’ll have to wait and measure that over time. But I know that aid is going there but I had no conversation with any of the members of the LTTE. “ “Marines for the most part…. I don’t have the details of their plan, but will be working for the most part in the southern part of the country. They will go to other parts of the country for medial purposes and up to the North to restore capacities of one of the hospitals. And I will leave to the military commander [Sri Lankan] to make judgments as to how best to deploy the forces that he will have available to him.” “Yes I was very impressed at how quickly they have completed their assessment, of losses, where the priorities need to be and what they need to do. I think it has been an impressive piece of work and that certainly gives me confidence they know how to spend the relief money, and know how to distribute the supplies and equipment which will be coming into the country.” US involvement in Sri Lanka’s peace process “As you know we have always tried to play a helpful role working with our Norwegian colleagues. My deputy, Secretary Mr. Richard Armitage has been deeply involved in the process.” “I don’t think our military presence in anyway shapes or affects the political situation. Ultimately the problem has to be solved between the parties concerned. United States military presence is strictly for humanitarian purposes and not in any way to influence political outcome one way or the other.” “We are hopeful however that if all Sri Lankans come together to deal with this common catastrophe, this common crisis, and work with each other and cooperate with each other, then perhaps that spirit of cooperation can be elevated and extended into the political dialogue and find a way forward to a political solution to this long standing crisis between government and the LTTE.”
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