Interview by Sri Lanka Media (MTV and Tamil TV)

MTV: Mr. Armitage, the international community has come out strongly in support of Sri Lanka's peace process and pledged an unprecedented US$4.5 billion dollars for the reconstruction and development of the country. What do you now expect of the government and the LTTE to start the peace process back on track? What can the international community and the United States in particular do to bring the two parties back to the negotiating table?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: First of all, it was the position of the United States government that this Tokyo conference should absolutely be held -- notwithstanding the fact that the LTTE chose not to participate. The international community cannot be blackmailed by a group who refuses to take part in the peace process. Regarding what does the international community expect, we expect the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to immediately come back to the negotiating table and delineate a series of steps, which will lead to peace. I don't think the people of Sri Lanka will settle for anything less.

MTV: Mr. Armitage, is there anything else that the government of Sri Lanka can do? It has already proposed an innovative strategy of reconstruction authority to the American administration according to the administrative structure. What more can the government do to bring the LTTE back to the table?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I must say that I was very heartened by the comments of Prime Minister Ranil regarding a new infrastructure to be able to provide assistance transparently to all segments of society very openly, so they can be audited very well. I think that it is very much a step in the right direction. It's not a secret that the government of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister and the President have to be able to resolve their differences in order to be able to find a common platform to seek peace.

MTV: Thank you very much.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Thank you.

TAMIL TV: Mr. Armitage, I would like to ask what is the message that you are giving to the Tamil community in Sri Lanka?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I think the message was quite clear in my remarks, that all segments of the Sri Lankan society -- Hindu, Buddhist, Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim, and Christian -- all have equities in a peaceful future. I believe that the people of Sri Lanka -- all ethnic and religious groups -- will settle for nothing less than a full effort by the government for peace. In that regard, I think it was a very common statement by the international community that the LTTE should immediately come back to the table and have the courage to do the very difficult thing -- that is, to seek peace.

TAMIL TV: Do you have any specific comments for the people in the north and the east?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: It was clear from the discussions yesterday and today that the North and the East are very much in the minds of all the people in the international community. Both their social and economic infrastructure has to be rebuilt, has to be developed. They are very much on the minds of the international community. But without a process for peace that has steps that are visible, and that can be taken towards a resolution, then I'm afraid their future will be put on hold for a while -- and that is a terrible thing.

TAMIL TV: Thank you very much.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Thank you.