FM fails in mission to US - Senate refuses to withdraw ban on military

(October, 08, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama failed in his efforts last week to get the US Senate to withdraw the provision in the Appropriations Act for 2008 preventing the sale and supply of military equipment to the country until the human rights situation improved.

The Senate approved Section 690 of the Appropriations Act last month whereby the US government is precluded from providing any military equipment to Sri Lanka until such time the Secretary of State makes a certification that Sri Lanka has taken necessary action to address the human rights issues raised and bring to justice those responsible for extra judicial killings and other human rights violations.

Colombo based weekly ‘The Sunday Leader” reports yesterday Minister Bogollagama met with the Chairman of the US Foreign Relations Committee Senator Leahy and lobbied for the withdrawal of Section 690 of the Act but failed.

Informed sources said Senator Leahy informed the Foreign Minister the Senate can consider the withdrawal of the provision when concrete action is taken on the human rights front. It is learned the minister also failed to get Sri Lanka on the eligibility criteria for the Millennium Challenge Account.

" Bogollagama also failed to get any concessions on the trade front with Congressman McDemott informing the minister he ‘will explore..’ ways to add Sri Lanka to the developing countries Bill,"the paper report said.

Informed sources said the US government also reiterated a strong message on the need to submit a power sharing proposal to resolve the ethnic crisis through Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns to Minister Bogollagama. Burns had also raised human rights concerns and specifically the case of Sunday Times Defence Correspondent Iqbal Athas.

It is learned Burns also raised the case of Athas with President Mahinda Rajapakse in New York. Informed sources said the President had retorted angrily that Athas was compromising national security but that Burns did not subscribe to that allegation.

Minister Bogollagama was not given an appointment with his counterpart Condaleeza Rice but a down graded meeting with an Under Secretary to signify the displeasure of the US on Sri Lanka's human rights record and the failure to submit a viable political package to resolve the ethnic issue.

The US State Department after the Burns meeting with Bogollagama also took the unusual step of issuing a statement after the meeting expressing concerns over the human rights situation and the on going threats to freedom of the press.

One top source in Washington said the bottom line was the Minister and the government got a public 'slap' from Burns, Sri Lanka is still on hold for the Millennium Challenge Funds, no military sales and transfers and nothing on trade.