Asked for the United States’ reaction to the LTTE airstrike on the military airbase at Katunayake last Monday, the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Robert O’ Blake said: “The LTTE’s successful deployment of an offensive air capability is a matter of great concern.”
Asked by Sri Lanka’s state-owned Daily News if the LTTE attack changed the US view about the conflict, he said: “We do not believe there can be a military solution to this conflict. Rather, both sides should cease hostilities so talks can take place on a negotiated settlement.”
Asked if the US has changed its travel advice to Americans as a result of this attack, Mr. Blake said: “There has been no substantive change in our advice. The U.S. Embassy does not perceive a specific threat to our citizens.”
The unruffled US reaction to the LTTE mirrored that of India, whose Foreign Secretary Shiv Shanker Menon, when asked about the LTTE attack said: "We are very concerned at the escalation of violence in Sri Lanka in the last few weeks. The incident is one part of the violent incidents that we have seen.”
"To pick on an individual incident of violence will not help solve the root cause of the problem," he said.
