High-powered Committee to oversee Indo-Lanka security

India: A high powered committee has been set up to deal in matters affecting the security of India and Sri Lanka, Government sources said. This followed a meeting between two top delegations from India and Sri Lanka on September 3 and 4 in New Delhi.

The Lankan delegation comprised Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Senior Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa while the Indian Government was represented by its Defence Secretary Vijai Singh Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Defence Advisor K.R.Narayanan.

The Sri Lanka situation figured prominently in the two day talks. Also discussed was the development programme earmarked for the Eastern Province following its liberation from the LTTE and the present limited operation in the North. The need for further strengthening mutual ties between the two countries was also stressed upon.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also met India's service chiefs and held discussions.

It was noted that the LTTE during the upcoming monsoon was planning to disrupt the economy with the help of certain elements in the South through attacks and inciting agitations. The Government's attention has been drawn towards this aspect.

It is believed that the LTTE and its agents were planning to create a conflict situation similar to that which took place in the country during the operations to liberate Vakarai and Sampur.

While the talks which centred on the need to defeat terrorism and the measures to address the needs of the North East population were fruitful it also succeeded to laying a firm foundation for the next phase.

Also dealt at length were the development programmes envisaged for the East following its liberation from the clutches of terrorism, the resettlement programme and ways to improve the living standards of the people.

The need to liberate the Tamils who were under the jackboot of the LTTE for over two decades and the importance of ridding the South Asian region from the scourge of terrorism also figured in the discussions.

The Indian delegation said India considers it Sri Lanka's duty to liberate the people from the grip of terrorism while the national question be resolved in a manner that would protect the country's sovereignty.

They said it was also India's wish to see stability in the South Asian region in all aspects such as economic, social and political spheres.