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Shivshankar Menon, right, accompanied by Rajapakse, and followed by Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Ashok K Kanth, at President’s House in Colombo |
India’s National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon called on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and met Foreign Minister G L Peiris on Friday. He also held meetings with Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapakse and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse.
In his meetings, Menon underlined the need for speeding up political reconciliation and a settlement of the decades-old Tamil issue.
“I discussed recent developments, bilateral relations and areas of common concern. I was also briefed about steps being taken by the Government of Sri Lanka on political reconciliation and settlement,” he told reporters here after the talks.
“While this is a Sri Lankan issue and something that Sri Lanka has to do, we will continue to remain engaged with all concerned and offer any support required in this regard,” he said.
Menon also discussed the reconciliation issue with Tamil National Alliance leader R Sampanthan.
“India has always stood for a united Sri Lanka within which all citizens can live in equality, justice, dignity and self-respect,” he said.
The two sides also discussed maritime co-operation and decided to resolve the fishermen’s issue from a humanitarian
perspective.
In the past two years, India has committed $750mn under lines of credit and another $350mn under grants-in-aid.
In this context, Menon voiced satisfaction that most of the Indian-assisted projects were proceeding well and several projects, particularly those relating to the development of railway infrastructure in the Northern and Southern Provinces, were being implemented well ahead of schedule.
Menon’s visit to Sri Lanka came days after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met President Rajapakse on the margins of the Rio+20 Summit in Brazil. IANS