22.6.2008
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.”
Courtesy - Lanka
Truth