The Minister also stated that Secretary Clinton pointed out that US is supportive of the approach taken by Sri Lanka.

The Minister made these statements at a press briefing following his recent visit to the US.

He stressed that Sri Lanka is encouraged by the positive response received from the United States on the Government's initiatives since the end of the war.

Minister Peiris has discussed the stable political environment in the country at present following the two elections which gave President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government a resounding electoral mandate.

He has briefed Secretary Clinton on the Government's plans to revive the democratic process in the North and the East which had been non-existent during the conflict and removal of many of the Emergency Regulations.

The Minister also said that he briefed her on President Rajapaksa's appointment of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission which Secretary Clinton has welcomed saying that the United States strongly supports political and ethnic reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

There were certain people and groups who are in a minority attempting to harass Sri Lanka over alleged war crimes and human rights violations issues when the UN Human Rights Council had overwhelmingly voted in favour of Sri Lanka on these issues last year, Minister Prof G.L. Peiris said.