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US willing to become facilitator in Lankan crisis

The United States is willing to become a facilitator but not a mediator in solving Sri Lanka's ethnic problem, the government-run Daily News reported today.

The newspaper, quoting US sources, said Washington respects Sri Lanka's sovereignty and territorial integrity. ''It is an internal problem of Sri Lanka.''

The sources said the US is cooperating with the Sri Lankan government in training the police in defusing mines. They also observed that LTTE funding in the United States has declined since the US named it as an international terrorist organisation.

US assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs Karl F Inderfurth was in Sri Lanka for a brief stay last week during which he met Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Tamil leaders.

UNI

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