Washington:
A US diplomat at the Chennai consulate, who was caught in a row over her remarks of "dirty and dark" Tamilians, has enrolled herself in a cultural sensitivity course.
US Vice-Consul Maureen Chao, who had expressed regret for her comments, has "voluntarily enrolled in a cross-cultural communications and understanding class," US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters on Thursday.
"The sense was that this class would do some good. We consider the comments absolutely unacceptable. I think you saw that she apologized almost immediately. She's voluntarily enrolled in a cultural sensitivity course. But obviously, they're unacceptable and inconsistent with core American values," Nuland said.
"They did not reflect the best of American values in terms of tolerance for difference and diversity," Nuland added in response to a question.
In a speech which was given in Chennai last week, Ms Chao recalled a train journey in India some 20 years ago and said: "I was on a 24-hour train trip from Delhi to Orissa. But, after 72 hours, the train still did not reach the destination...and my skin became dirty and dark like the Tamilians."
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha wrote a letter to the US Consul General Jennifer McIntyre and demanded an apology for the remarks. The US Consulate issued a release terming the remarks as ''inappropriate.''
"During the speech Ms Chao made an inappropriate comment. She deeply regrets any offence her unfortunate remarks may have caused, as that was certainly not her intent," the US Consulate said in a release.