US Marines team on fact finding mission
Saturday, July 28,2007 COLOMBO:

A US Marines team is now in the east to carry out a fact-finding mission in preparation for an upcoming visit by high level US military medics as part of a humanitarian assistance programme. “A high-level medical team will be here in September for one week to conduct a series of medical assistance programmes for the eastern people, especially in the newly captured areas,” a senior defence official told the Daily Mirror Friday.
He said this humanitarian assistance is to be given to eastern people in consultation with the Army, Navy and the Air Force. “Medical camps would be set up in several areas including Sampur and Vakarai,” the official said.
The visiting four-member medical team from the US Marines led by a Colonel is now in Trincomalee monitoring the area to set up medical camps and find out other requirements for the scheduled programme, the official said.
Soon after the 2004 tsunami that killed more than 35,000 people and displaced tens of thousands, Marines from the United States conducted several humanitarian assistance programmes here.
Some 1600 US Marines along with ships and helicopters were among troops from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Greece, India, Italy and Pakistan here for tsunami relief operations in the country.

Case regarding defence pact was dismissed without proper reasoning -Vasu
[28-07-2007 12.35pm]

“The petition regarding the Secret Defence pact signed between the US ambassador and the SL Defence Secretary was dismissed without giving proper reasons to the prosecutor” said senior President advisor- Vasudewa Nanayakkara The Senior President advisor had illustrated the loopholes in the pact such as the inability of coming into such an agreement without the Cabinet approval, the US gaining a one party advantage and military right, while expressing SL disinterest in using the US airports and ports despite the pact stating the both parties’ ability to use them. He said that it was a biased act to ignore a pact with such complex contents, give the ruling and relate reasons later.