21.6.2008
M.K.
Narayanan, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister
of India made a surprise short unannounced visit to Sri
Lanka today. Neither the S.L. government nor Indian government
has announced his visit.
Speculation
is rife that his visit is connected with the national
question. Mr. Narayanan is said to have formulated the
ceasefire agreement (CFA) Ranil Wickremasinghe, when he
was Prime Minister signed with tiger terrorist leader
Velupillai Prabakaran. The agreement was advantageous
to tiger organization and patriotic and other national
organizations opposed the CFA and finally Mahinda Rajapakse
government had to abrogate it due to pressure from the
masses.
However,
a few days ago senior advisor to President Parliamentarian
Basil Rajapakse had stated that “the best solution
for the national question is to negotiate and settle with
the LTTE.” Political analysts say Mr. Narayana’s
visit could be linked with the national question and a
possible ceasefire as Norway too had indicated that India
was in a better position to mediate in the matter.
Foreign
Minister Rohitha Bogollagama’s statement to ‘Times
Now’ that India should not meddle in Sri Lanka’s
internal policies too would have motivated Narayanan to
make the sudden visit point out certain quarters.
Some
analysts are of the view that government’s threat
of acquiring LOIC petrol sheds may have influenced Narayanan’s
sudden visit. Petroleum Resources Development Minister
A.H.M. Fowzie said in Parliament that LOIC behavior in
the fuel market has incurred heavy losses to Ceylon Petroleum
Corporation and he would acquire LIOC petrol sheds if
they fall in line with government policy.
However,
these analysts point out that Narayanan’s policies
with regard to Sri Lanka have not been conducive to Sri
Lanka pointing out that he was behind the threat that
Sri Lanka should not procure arms from any other country
other than India and the warning that Sri Lanka should
not veer closer to Pakistan.
Lanka Truth