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U.S. to Sign Military Pact With Sri Lanka
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Sri
Lanka President Kumaratunga
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By IOL South Asia Correspondent
NEW
DELHI, May 28 (IslamOnline) - The United States is all set to enter
into a military agreement with Sri Lanka. The pact with the
strategically-placed Indian Ocean island-nation will allow the U.S.
military greater access to Sri Lankan ports and airspace.
Indian
newspapers Monday, May 27, quoted Sri Lankan media sources that the
U.S. would enter with Colombo into an Acquisition and Cross Servicing
Agreement (ACSA) next July, formalizing the increasing military
cooperation between the two nations. The proposed agreement would
allow the U.S. forces to acquire food, fuel, transportation,
ammunition and different equipment.
The
U.S. is expected, in return, to provide more training opportunities
for Sri Lankan security forces, and conduct joint military exercises,
the reports said. Reportedly a US team visited the island last month
to finalize the agreement. There was no immediate comment from the
U.S. embassy or the Sri Lankan Defense Ministry on these reports.
In
April 2002, two U.S. warships called at Sri Lanka’s main port,
Colombo, while deployed as part of the U.S. war against terror
"Operation Enduring Freedom", patrolling the western Indian
Ocean region. Sri Lanka will be the third South Asian nation besides
India and Pakistan to help the U.S. in its war on terrorism.
U.S.
Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Christina Rocca
announced in Colombo after a visit last March that the United States
was seeking increased military cooperation with Sri Lanka. She said
the U.S. was also taking a higher profile in supporting Sri Lanka's
peace process following the changed global situation since September
11.
The
U.S. assistant secretary of state added that Marine General Timothy
Ghormley, who accompanied her on a visit to the embattled northern
peninsula of Jaffna, was discussing with Sri Lankan officials
increasing military cooperation. Timothy Ghormley made a separate
visit to the key northeastern port of Trincomalee which is Sri
Lanka’s main naval base.
The
United States has accused Tamil Tiger guerrillas (LTTE), currently
observing a Norwegian-brokered truce with government forces, of trying
to smuggle weapons into Sri Lanka. It has also signaled to the
guerrillas that it wouldn’t back them and has shown its desire to go
with the Sri Lankan government.
The Sri Lankan government is currently observing a
truce with the LTTE guerrillas. Both the parties are going to hold
bilateral talks in Thailand on issues responsible for the island’s
two decade-long ethnic war.
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