Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said the Tigers have shown no interest in negotiating for peace to end 25 years of separatist violence.
On the contrary, there is a "continuing focus on their part to resort to violence and terrorism" - evident from recent deadly train and bus bombings - Kohona told reporters on the sidelines at the Singapore conference, which continues today.
31 May 2008: Shanghai Daily
THE United States said yesterday it will not disengage from Asia despite political and strategic commitments elsewhere.
The declaration was made in Singapore at a high-profile conference, the Shangri-La Dialogue, of defense ministers and military officials from 26 Asia-Pacific countries.
Organizers say the annual meeting provides an opportunity for friends, foes and uneasy neighbors to meet and thrash out issues in private.
But there is some blunt talk as well, usually by the US.
American Defense Secretary Robert Gates devoted much of his opening speech to making it clear that the change in the US administration next year will not lessen America's commitment to Asia, which dates back to World War II.
US interests in Asia "will endure no matter which political party occupies the White House next year," Gates said.
Many governments in the region fear that US military and political commitments in the Middle East and Afghanistan will pull it away from eastern Asia and the Pacific.
"For those who worry that Iraq and Afghanistan have distracted the US from Asia and developments here, I would counter that we have never been more engaged with more Asian countries," Gates said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels are becoming more violent as they suffer setbacks because of a new government offensive, a top official from the war-torn South Asian nation said yesterday.
Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said the Tigers have shown no interest in negotiating for peace to end 25 years of separatist violence.
On the contrary, there is a "continuing focus on their part to resort to violence and terrorism" - evident from recent deadly train and bus bombings - Kohona told reporters on the sidelines at the Singapore conference, which continues today.
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