Sri Lanka economic sanctions ruled out by US

Mar 21, 2012 (LBO) – The United States will not push for economic sanctions on Sri Lanka despite calls for a probe into alleged war crimes, Robert Blake, a top US State Department official said in an exclusive interview. But the government needs to move faster on reconciliation between the island's main communities after the war, Blake, US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, said.

œNo, that’s (economic sanctions) not one of the objectives, Blake said in an exclusive skype interview with our sister TV news programme Debrief, referring to the resolution it advanced at the UN Human Rights Council.

(Click the link below to view the interview.)

œThis is a very moderate, balanced and simple resolution that calls for the government to develop an action plan to implement its LLRC report and to work cooperatively with the UN to accept technical assistance to help that happen.

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) was appointed by the government to probe the 30-year war which ended in 2009 and suggest measures for reconciliation bet