<b>Support Lanka initiative before US senate</b>

Kesara Abeywardena in Washington D.C

A motion supporting the peace initiative of the Sri Lankan government is to be presented to the American senate by Senator Richard Lugar shortly.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who is currently on an official visit to the United States will meet the Senatorial Committee on Foreign Relations and the Congress Committee on International relations on Tuesday before he meets President George W. Bush and other top US officials on Wednesday.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said that the discussions between Premier Wickremesinghe and the US government will mainly focus on the peace process and economic matters. He will meet US trade representative Robert Zoellick on matters relating to bilateral trade.

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s visit, Economic Reforms and Science and Technology Minister Milinda Moragoda said that the government believes it is essential to have the support of both India as a regional power and America as the super power firmly behind it to succeed in the peace initiative. He also said that the meeting between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and President George W. Bush would further strengthen friendly ties between the two countries.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is the first national political leader from Sri Lanka to meet a US President at the White House in 18 years. The last occasion was in 1984 when President J. R. Jayewardene met US President Ronald Reagan.

Apart from the official discussions Prime Minister Wickremesinghe will also address the National Press Club and the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars. He will focus on the steps taken by the present government to strengthen press freedom in the country, in his address to the National Press club, a Prime Minister’s spokesman said.

The Prime Minister is accompanied by the Prime Minister’s secretary Bradman Weerakoon and Foreign Ministry Secretary Nihal Rodrigo.

Courtesy - The Island