India pledges support to Lanka

Shirley Wijesinghe

COLOMBO: Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama had a special discussion with Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram while attending at the annual conference of the World Bank and IMF in Singapore as the special representative to the President, Ministry sources said. At the meeting, Minister Amunugama discussed the friendly relations between India-Sri Lanka and Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agrement.

The commitment of Sri Lanka's President for a peaceful political solution to the present crisis was explained deeply to the Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Ministry sources added.

The Indian Finance Minister responding to the Sri Lankan Minister said that India always respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and India is prepared to lend its utmost cooperation to Sri Lanka whenever necessary, sources said.

Ministry sources said that India pledged its maximum support for a political settlement to the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka.

Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was also present at the discussion, the sources revealed.