* US Assistant Secretary to visit Sri Lanka next month
Fri, Dec 27, 2013, 08:23 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Dec 27, Colombo: The United States delegation Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka next month, a local media report said.
Biswal will reportedly be in the island to review the progress of measures taken to expedite the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission recommendations as directed in the US-sponsored resolutions at the UN human Rights Council in Geneva.
The Assistant Secretary will also hold discussions with the External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris and other senior government officials.
Earlier this month, Indian-American Biswal warned that if Sri Lanka doesn't make meaningful progress in addressing the accountability issues, the patience of the international community on Sri Lanka will start to wear thin and urged Sri Lanka to take some "concrete steps" to address the issue of human rights, accountability and reconciliation process.
Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs Karunathilaka Amunugama has confirmed to media that the US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs had requested for a tour of Sri Lanka.

However, the U.S. Embassy in Colombo or the State Department has not officially announced her visit yet.