US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Robert Blake

He was replying to a journalist at the weekly briefing on Thursday when pointed out that US has indicated future relations between Sri Lanka and US will depend on Sri Lanka's human rights records.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Robert Blake expressing this view has also stressed the need for an international investigation on war crimes in Sri Lanka.

"Unless there is firm progress on human rights and reconciliation, there ought to be limits on the two countries' security cooperation." he told the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.

LTTE violations

Minister Yapa said that the media should not forget the fact that Sri Lanka government defeated the LTTE which violated every human right of the Tamil people.

"It even massacred their own people, but no one talked about human rights violations at that time." he said.

	India Congress President Sonia Gandhi

Mr.Yapa said that Sri Lanka government has drawn its attention on to a statement made by Indian Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Chennai on Tuesday.

She said that India will persuade the Sri Lankan government to amend its constitution in a way that provides a political solution to the Tamil issues.

Minister Yapa said that that the government had come to know about it only through media.

"The Foreign Ministry will react to this statement by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi", he added.