09/15/2011
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The Economist
THE United States is not in the business of threatening its friends, said Robert O. Blake, US assistant secretary of state, in Colombo on September 14th. But, he added, smiling placidly, there will be pressure. If a domestic commission appointed by Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s president, does not provide credible answers to allegations of war crimes committed by the military, demands for “some sort of alternative mechanism” will mount.
09/13/2011
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AFP, Agence France-Presse
US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake toured Sri Lanka's former war zone on Tuesday to meet students, community leaders and government officials two years after the island's civil war ended.
09/13/2011
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Sunday Times
The pro-government EPDP members today held a protest in Jaffna against the US ahead of the visit of US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake to Jaffna.
09/13/2011
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TruthDive
Colombo, Sep 13 (TruthDive): US Assistant Secretary of State, Robert O Blake’s efforts to meet student representatives of Jaffna university to hear first hand account of human rights violation were blocked by supporters of Rajapakse – the EPDP paramilitary cum political party. Police were mere spectators. Geneva indicated that Sri Lanka’s war crimes report produced by Ban appointed UN panel of experts has been submitted to the UN’s Human Rights Commission. The placards displayed by EPDP supporters asked Blake as to how much dollars he paid or vodka he gifted to get the information from people he met.
09/11/2011
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Sunday Times
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake will arrive here tomorrow on a five day visit.
09/11/2011
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State Department, U.S. Embassy
It is a pleasure to be back in Sri Lanka and to see many old friends. Over the last two days I have had a wide range of meetings in Colombo and Jaffna. In Colombo I met with President Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister GL Peiris, representatives of the TNA and UNP, and members of civil society. I also visited Jaffna to meet with the military commander, NGO representatives, and students from Jaffna University. While in Jaffna I paid a visit to the offices of Uthayan to show America's support of freedom of the press.
08/26/2011
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Voice of America
The United States says it is sending a top envoy for talks next week in Sri Lanka, which faces allegations of human rights violations in its civil war that ended two years ago.
05/08/2011
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Sunday Times
A high powered Indian delegation will arrive in Colombo on Friday to discuss matters arising from the United Nations Advisory Panel’s report to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka during the final stages of the separatist war in May 2009.
05/07/2011
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Aftenposten (Norway)
TRANSLATED FROM THE NORWEGIAN VIA GOOGLE TRANSLATE: In March, warned the U.S. ambassador, Robert Blake, of a humanitarian disaster. In a meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Blake made it clear that if the government forces continued in the same pace they did last time, it would lead to tens of thousands of fatalities, which likely would cause international condemnation and accusations of war crimes.
05/04/2011
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American Center, American Embassy in Colombo, State Department, U.S. Embassy, U.S. State Department
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE: It is a pleasure to return to Colombo and see so many old friends. I have had a series of productive meetings with Defense Secretary Rajapaksa and External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris, members of the opposition, and representatives of civil society.