The United States has carefully reviewed the statement issued by the Norwegian Government outlining the results of the second session of negotiations held between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Thailand from October 31 to November 3. We praise the commitment of both sides to sustain the ceasefire and move forward with the peace process. It is positive that the two sides have agreed to an expanded schedule of meetings in the coming months. The U.S also welcomes the decision of both sides to form subcommittees focused on humanitarian, de-escalation, and political issues. The U.S. looks forward to participating in the November 25 conference in Oslo, which will focus on improving the humanitarian and development situation in the North and East. The U.S. is committed to continuing its support of these vital objectives through projects yielding and immediate impact. We note, for example, that the Quick Reaction De-mining Force (QRDF) recently completed its highly successful project in Jaffna. The U.S. is also working with the Sri Lankan Government on establishing a humanitarian mine clearance training program for civilians and military personnel that is scheduled to begin operations in early 2003. We hope that the negotiating process will lead to a permanent end to the conflict, based on the principles of democracy and respect for human rights, while maintaining Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity. We are very encouraged by the efforts of the two sides to resolve the conflict, thus far, and remain convinced that conditions are favourable for a desirable outcome now more than ever. We again salute the Norwegian Government’s able facilitation of the talks and the Thai Government for hosting them.