Stop Aid to Sri Lanka : USA

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that this is not an appropriate time to talk about International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) $2 billion loan to Sri Lanka.

After Britain, the US is the second country which appears to be opposing the massive loan from the IMF to Sri Lanka, which is currently under consideration.

“This is a very troubling humanitarian crisis, and we have been focused on it and trying to convince both sides to cease their hostilities. We have also raised questions about the IMF loan at this time,” Clinton told the State Department reporters.

“We think that it is not an appropriate time to consider that until there is a resolution of this conflict. And that’s what we’re focused on trying to help bring about,” Clinton said.

She was addressing a joint press conference with visiting Malaysian foreign minister Y.B. Datuk Anifah bin Haji Aman.

Observing that the US has been very clear in its statements — the most recent one by the President — that there needs to be a cessation of the hostilities and humanitarian relief to be provided to the people who are trapped in the fighting.

“We’ve called on both sides to cease their hostilities. And we’ve asked that both sides permit humanitarian relief to be delivered, and at the very least, a high-level humanitarian mission to make an assessment of what relief is necessary,” Clinton said.