Addressing a two-day seminar in India, US Department of State Regional Affairs’ Deputy Director Neil Kromash said: “Positive developments have taken place in Sri Lanka where the January elections brought a new government, overthrowing a longstanding autocratic regime.

“The US will do all it can to support the new government in restoring democracy and heal fragile ethnic tensions,” he said.

Maithripala Sirisena became Sri Lanka’s new president in January after defeating Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had been ruling the island nation since 2005.