US backs strong action agaist Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers

The United States Thursday welcomed the European Union Travel ban on the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers and said it believed the ban would remain till purpose of imposing it was achieved, Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror said Friday.

"The EU ban reflected the international community's strongest message that acts of terrorism by the LTTE would not be tolerated,"Christina Rocca, US assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs was quoted as saying.

The United States, as a country which has designated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist organization,strongly felt that strong action should be taken against the LTTE to stop the growing number of killings, other forms of violence and child recruitment, the US official said.

Howerer, the US official underscored the need to continue the peace process and reach a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

The European Union on Tuesday repeated its condemnation of the Tamil Tigers for its continued usage of violence and terror and warned the Tigers of banning them among its member states.

The EU said in a statement Tuesday that it repeated its condemnation of the shocking murder of Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and of so many others in Sri Lanka in recent weeks.

"The pursuit of political goals by such totally unacceptable methods only serves to damage the LTTE's standing and credibility as a negotiating partner," the statement said.

Source: Xinhua