U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake, who is on a one-day visit to Colombo, paid a courtesy call on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Wednesday morning, said the presidential office.

"President Rajapaksa and Blake exchanged views on bilateral relations during the breakfast meeting. The two sides examined ways and means of further strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and the United States and identified several areas for the expansion of bilateral cooperation," said a statement of the office after the meeting.

Blake offered to increase training facilities for Sri Lankan officials and others in the United States, the statement said.

Blake is also scheduled to hold further discussions with Minister of External Affairs G. L. Peiris and other officials during his visit.

The visit came amidst support by the United States for the UN war crimes panel on Sri Lanka appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in June.

A cabinet minister of the Sri Lankan government staged a protest outside the UN Colombo office early this month, demanding Ban to disband the panel.