‘Need to work together in the interest of the country’

Mr Kerry conceded that no nation, including the US, had a "perfect record on human rights. We all have to do our best in order to improve."

United States Secretary of State John Kerry leaves for Kenya after his visit to Sri Lanka.

A day after emphasising on expediting the process of reconciliation in Sri Lanka, United States Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday impressed upon the leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) the need to work together “in the interest of the country [Sri Lanka].”  

Giving an account of the meeting between the Secretary of State and the TNA leaders, R. Sampanthan, who headed a six-member delegation, told The Hindu that Mr Kerry also expressed solidarity with the TNA.  

Terming the 40-minute-long meeting as “positive,” the parliamentary group leader said his team discussed immediate concerns and future needs of the political settlement with Mr Kerry. The delegation included Mavai S. Senathirajah, deputy leader of the parliamentary group of the TNA, C.V. Vigneswaran, Chief Minister of the Northern Province and M.A. Sumanthiran.  

Elaborating upon his theme of reconciliation, the Secretary of State, in his address at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies on Saturday evening, called upon the Sri Lankan government to release the remaining political prisoners.  

Every citizen had a “right to seek justice and every citizen has a right to expect justice for victims of war crimes or crimes against humanity.” He cautioned the Sri Lankan government saying “if you tell them [affected citizens] to forego justice under the law, they will be more likely to seek it outside of the law. It will be harder, not easier, to move forward as one country at peace.”

Underlining the aspect of advancement of human rights, Mr Kerry conceded that no nation, including the US, had a “perfect record on human rights. We all have to do our best in order to improve.”

Ties with India

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena told the Secretary of State that a “special relationship” existed between his country and India, which the President described as "the closest neighbour.”  This was in response to Mr Kerry’s query about the relations with India and China, according to a release hosted on the website of the Sri Lankan President.

Calling China “a development partner,” the President said one had to consider “heavy investments” made by China in Sri Lanka.

Mr Sirisena added that his country was strictly following a "nonaligned foreign policy” and his government would not allow the relations with one country to affect the relations with another country in any manner, the release stated.