Terming the situation in Sri Lanka as difficult, the United States on Wednesday expressed its disappointment over neither Sri Lankan government nor the LTTE paying heed to their call or that of international community with regard to the ongoing conflict in the northern parts of the country.
    

'The problem is the parties (Sri Lankan Government and LTTE) are not heeding the call from not just the US, but from the broader international community,' the State Department Acting spokesman, Robert Wood, said during his daily press briefing at the State Department headquarters at Foggy Bottom.
    
'We're trying to figure out ways that we can apply more pressure on both the government and the LTTE to cease their activities,' Wood said, adding that a lot of diplomatic effort is going on right now on trying to end this conflict. However, he did not divulge any details.
    
Wood termed fleeing of thousands of civilians trapped in the conflict zone as positive development, and asked both the Army and the LTTE to refrain from indiscriminate shelling into and from the no-fire zone.

'The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Robert Blake, is in daily communication with senior Sri Lankan military and government officials,' he said. The State Department spokesman said the international community was very focused on trying to end this conflict and to push the parties in a direction that was going to not only end the hostilities, but also protect the civilians as all are very concerned about the situation on the ground.

'This conflict has been going on since 1983. What we are trying to do is marshal our diplomatic resources in a way that can bring about an end to this conflict, but at the same time protecting civilians who are clearly in harm's way,' Wood said.
    
The spokesman said despite non-cooperation from both the parties, the US along with the international community is trying to get the government and the LTTE to desist their hostilities, protect those civilians in those areas so that humanitarian supplies and food could be reached out to the need people.
    
He called on the LTTE to allow civilians to leave theconflict zone and respect their freedom of movement. 'The US understands there have been incidents of the LTTE firing on and otherwise attacking civilians as they attempt to leave the no-fire zone,' he said.
    
'We urge the Government of Sri Lanka to pursue diplomacy, to advocate the release of the remaining civilians from the no-fire zone,' the  spokesperson said.

In response to a question, Wood said there have been a lot of discussions going on internally in the US Government at senior levels including that of the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who he said is very concerned.