Wide-ranging Indo-Lanka talks in process of finding solution - Minister Rambukwella

Chamikara Weerasinghe

“There will be wide-ranging discussions between India and Sri Lanka in the process of finding a political solution to the national issue, Defence Spokesperson and Mass Media and Communication Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday told the Daily News.

“The two nations enjoy long political relations in commerce, investments and defence cooperation at the international level. There will be discussions with India as the government moves towards a political solution which will be in the best interests of the two nations,” he said.

The Minister said on being asked about the outcome of the recent visit by the Indian delegation, led by Indian National Security advisor Shivshankar Menon and comprising Foreign Ministry Secretary Nirupama Rao and Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, that the visit was useful in terms of furthering bilateral relations between the two countries and in understanding what is happening in the sphere of Indian politics.

The members of the Indian delegation had reportedly told the government that it was up to the Sri Lankan government to find a solution to the national issue based on power devolution under the 13th amendment to the constitution, which is the result of the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987.

Rambukwella said the government is working on a solution based on the 13 th amendment.

“We are building a resolution based on the 13 th amendment,” he said.

“There are subjects under the amendment that are possible to concede. There are also some subjects that are impossible to concede,” he pointed out.

A resolution based on a common Sri Lankan identity, that would make it comfortable for all communities to live together, had to be reached, he explained.

“Sri Lanka is working in consultation with India as the political solution would be important to both countries, he said.

“India is interested in the 13 th amendment, being the architect of the amendment itself, he said.

“One must not forget the pivotal role that India played in providing assistance to Sri Lanka to put an end to the problem of terrorism in Sri Lanka, he said and added, “If India did not perceive the problem of terrorism in Sri Lanka as being different from its national issue, things would have been different.

“They were convinced that the terrorist issue was one and the ethnic issue was another. So they offered their friendship as our long standing neighbour, he said.

Asked if the the public mood in Tamil Nadu and its Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s recent moving of a resolution to impose economic sanctions on Sri Lanka had any negative impact on the government, Rambukwella said it was not up to a provincial state, Tamil Nadu, to make such demands against any sovereign state.