Colombo, Nov 09: The US troops in Sri Lanka will continue their joint exercises with local counterparts notwithstanding the taking over of defence portfolio by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a power-struggle, the US Embassy said. There was no change in the exercises although the control of the Defence Ministry had shifted from the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to Kumaratunga.
"We have no reasons to believe that these exercises would be affected by recent political developments in Colombo," US Embassy spokesman Bruce A Lohof said.
The Sunday Island newspaper said about 100 US military personnel were already in the country attending to various training programs.
The Embassy had on Monday announced a joint exercise with the Sri Lankan Airforce, the day before Kumaratunga dismissed the ministers of Defence, Interior and Information and suspended Parliament for two weeks.
Bureau Report