What a pathetic statement on Sri Lanka from Robert Wood Deputy spokesman for State Dept:

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2009/jan/115617.htm
QUESTION: Yeah, there’s a story in the press this morning sort of quoting Indian diplomats as sort of proudly suggesting that they were able to wrest away the Kashmir issue from the portfolio of Holbrooke. I’m just wondering whether that sort of lines up with your impression of things.

MR. WOOD: Well, as we’ve said before, that Kashmir was not going to be a part of Ambassador Holbrooke’s portfolio. We’ve made that very clear. And I would just say to you that, of course, India has a lot of interests in Afghanistan. Ambassador Holbrooke, other officials will be consulting with India. But you know, that story in The Washington Post is not true. It was never being considered.

QUESTION: Robert, a quick one on Sri Lanka. There is a humanitarian issue in Sri Lanka, and hundreds of thousands of them are now homeless and without any food, shelter, and medicines. If anything – the U.S. is concerned or engaged?

MR. WOOD: You know, of course, we are very concerned about the situation on the ground in Sri Lanka, and we’re working through UN organizations to try to provide whatever help that we can. It’s a very, very sad situation, especially some of the attacks against the media. We’ve been very concerned about that. And it’s a longstanding conflict, you know, going on over 25 years. You know, we’d like to see just a better outcome. And hopefully, at some point, you know, this war will come to an end and, you know, the Sri Lankan people can, you know, begin to think about a better life for themselves and their children.

QUESTION: Robert, can I just go back to your – you said The Washington Post story is not true?

MR. WOOD: I’m saying that – well, that headline specifically is not true.

QUESTION: Well, what are you saying? Are you saying that the Indian people – the Indian officials who are quoted in there are not --

MR. WOOD: What I’m saying to you, Matt, is that in terms of Ambassador Holbrooke’s portfolio, Kashmir was not going to be a part of that portfolio. It’s been focused on Afghanistan, Pakistan. He’s coordinating our entire U.S. Government effort to try to improve the situation on the ground.

QUESTION: Was it, at some point, a broader portfolio?

MR. WOOD: It was always focused on, you know, Afghanistan-Pakistan.