[By Janaka Alahapperuma]
The Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees this morning (08 October). The President and the Indian Minister have had lengthy discussions focused on enhancing bilateral social, economic, political and cultural cooperation between the two nations. Mr. Khurshid also emphasized the importance of strengthening relations between India and Sri Lanka. The discussion has also focused on the 13th amendment to the constitution at the meeting between Sri Lanka and Mr Khurshid who is on an official visit to the island.
The Indian Foreign Minister said he is highly satisfied with that democracy has been strengthened in Sri Lanka as well as in the Northern Province.The visiting minister has also discussed with the President on the recent Northern Provincial Council election. The Minister said that holding of a free and fair election in the Northern Province is a victory achieved by the people. The President told him that the people in the Northern Province were able to cast their votes freely after many decades.
The President has reiterated on the importance of an internal solution rather than on a solution from the outside. President Rajapaksa has also pointed out that the Parliament Select Committee would be the most appropriate and best platform to settle the issues that have erupted with regard to the 13th Amendment. He has also stated that future measures should be based upon the final proposal which is to be presented with the consent of all parties concerned. The Indian Foreign Minister has appreciated the right of Sri Lanka to take internal democratic measures.
The attention was also focused on the fishing problem between the two countries. It was agreed that the best way forward would be to facilitate a dialogue between fishing communities of both countries so that the fishermen themselves can find solutions to their problems. The urgent need to resolve the dispute through the participation of Sri Lankan and Tamil Nadu officials has been reiterated.
The High Commissioner of India in Colombo Y.K. Sinha accompanied Minister Khurshid along with several other officers from the Indian External Affairs Ministry and the Indian High Commission. Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Douglas Devananda, Minister of Power and Energy Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Monitoring MP of the Ministry of External Affairs Sajin Vass Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Karunathilaka Amunugama and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in India Prasad Kariyawasam were also present.
Minister Khurshid is also schedule to commence a tour in Jaffna this afternoon after meetings with government officials and the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe. He is scheduled to conduct talks with Northern Province Governor Major General (rted) G.A. Chandrasiri and newly elected Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council, C.V. Vigneswaran. He will also inspect the progress of housing construction projects in the north, which are being carried out under the Indian government aid.
Meanwhile Mrs Louise Khurshid met Sri Lanka’s First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and discussed the social, cultural, educational and humanitarian projects carried out by ‘Siriliya Sevana’ programme.
Pix by: Sudath Silva & Lalith Welivitigoda
