The Assistant Secretary for Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in the U.S. State Department Robert Blake Jr. has said there is no basis whatsoever in the reports alleging American support for regime change in Sri Lanka. He is on a three-day visit to Sri Lanka. He expressed support for government’s efforts to recover from the civil war and encouraged further steps towards reconciliation and a peaceful, united, democratic Sri Lanka. A press statement by the US Embassy in Colombo said that Robert Blake assured the Rajapakse government that the United States is committed to a strong long term partnership with Sri Lanka.