No military solution to the conflict! – India tells Sri Lanka
India has told Sri Lanka to find a peaceful solution to the national question within the framework of a united Sri Lanka and reiterated its position that there was no military solution to the conflict. The Indian viewpoint was articulated by the Indian team represented by National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Defense Secretary Vijay Singh in a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The team headed by National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan arrived in Sri Lanka on Friday unannounced and met Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the Sri Lankan President, Defense Secretary Gothabhaya Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, Senior Adviser to the President and the service commanders before they met President Rajapakse yesterday.
The Indian team also had discussions with Minister, Arumugam Thondaman, the Leader of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Siddarthan and pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance Parliamentary Leader, R. Sampanthan.
According to an Indian journalist the Indian team has had "in-depth discussions on issues of bilateral interest including the current security situation in the country against the backdrop of the war in the north between the forces and the LTTE as well as matters related to the SAARC Summit scheduled here in August."
However, all the meetings of the Indian team were held away from the media and even the President's Office chose not to release the customary handshake photograph. There was no official statement on the visit.
Press Trust of India reports that "Sri Lankan side gave a detailed briefing on the efforts being made by the President to forge a consensus within the country on a solution to the ethnic conflict acceptable to all sides, the commitment on the part of the regime for full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution pertaining to devolution of powers to provinces and the recent election to the Eastern Provincial Council."
According to an Indian official "It is a very successful visit. The nature of discussions was constructive and useful."
India has told Sri Lanka to find a peaceful solution to the national question within the framework of a united Sri Lanka and reiterated its position that there was no military solution to the conflict. The Indian viewpoint was articulated by the Indian team represented by National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Defense Secretary Vijay Singh in a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The team headed by National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan arrived in Sri Lanka on Friday unannounced and met Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the Sri Lankan President, Defense Secretary Gothabhaya Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa, Senior Adviser to the President and the service commanders before they met President Rajapakse yesterday.
The Indian team also had discussions with Minister, Arumugam Thondaman, the Leader of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Siddarthan and pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance Parliamentary Leader, R. Sampanthan.
According to an Indian journalist the Indian team has had "in-depth discussions on issues of bilateral interest including the current security situation in the country against the backdrop of the war in the north between the forces and the LTTE as well as matters related to the SAARC Summit scheduled here in August."
However, all the meetings of the Indian team were held away from the media and even the President's Office chose not to release the customary handshake photograph. There was no official statement on the visit.
Press Trust of India reports that "Sri Lankan side gave a detailed briefing on the efforts being made by the President to forge a consensus within the country on a solution to the ethnic conflict acceptable to all sides, the commitment on the part of the regime for full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution pertaining to devolution of powers to provinces and the recent election to the Eastern Provincial Council."
According to an Indian official "It is a very successful visit. The nature of discussions was constructive and useful."
