Issues most profound in foreign policy

Even those with a nodding acquaintance with India's foreign policy would know the stable, wholesome principles on which it is based. One of these is Nonalignment which holds that India would be on friendly and cordial terms with all states of the world while respecting their sovereignty and right to self-determination.

Needless to say, India has been right along observing these principles in its relations with Sri Lanka, to the best of its ability. At no stage has India been advocating causes which would impinge harmfully on our national interest.

Her policy on Sri Lanka's conflict has been one such strand of foreign policy thinking which has never ceased to impress on account of its reasonableness and sense of proportion.

For example, India has always held that Sri Lanka's conflict should be resolved by political means on the basis of an undivided Sri Lanka. It has also been of the view that the political solution should address the legitimate aspirations of all our communities.

India has not deviated from these principles in regard to Lanka's conflict and the fair-minded would agree that the principles are patently just. Besides, they encapsulate Sri Lanka's own principles in regard to resolving the conflict. Sri Lanka's position too is that what is needed is a political solution which respects our territorial unity and integrity.

This being the case, it is most baffling that some sections of the media have taken it into their heads to spread wild rumours to the effect that India is advocating sanctions against Sri Lanka.

This would amount to India imposing its will on a friendly neighbour and also of it violating the sovereignty and right to self-determination of the latter. All in all, it would be a flagrant violation of the foreign policy principles India has cherished and practised so successfully over the decades.

Accordingly, the media-concocted rumour needs to be rejected out of hand as an absolute falsehood and the Lankan authorities are on record as doing so in the most forthright terms.

It is a matter for regret that the sections of the media concerned could go to the lengths they did in trying to mislead both local and foreign opinion. Not even the consideration that they were dealing with an issue which touched on our national interest most intimately seemed to deter them from their devious course.

Besides, they need to consider that they were dealing most irresponsibly with issues which have a profound bearing on Indo-Lanka relations. It needs to be understood that it is decidedly in Sri Lanka's interest to be on the most cordial terms with our neighbours, for, it is impossible for a state to achieve its national interests without regional amity.

It is most encouraging to hear Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama's words, though, that "Sri Lanka does not conduct its foreign policy through the media." These words need to be pondered on deeply because they are a sufficient pointer to the deep sense of responsibility with which the Lankan State handles foreign policy questions.

These are issues on which the "freedom of the wild ass" cannot be exercised because the matters concerned touch closely on the future of the country.

India's sensible perception on our conflict has generated immense goodwill between our countries and it would be in the interests of both India and Sri Lanka to continue to share these commonalities.

The country's media need to take cognizance of these matters and comment with the utmost sense of responsibility on them, if the interests of Sri Lanka are indeed being cherished by them.

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