Minister tells Kerala journalists:

Lanka confident of India's support

Sri Lanka is confident that India will support it in the face of a US-backed resolution on Human Rights issues at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meeting in Geneva, Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W D J Seneviratne said.

"At present, Sri Lanka shows considerable improvement in protecting human rights than a number of developed countries. Hence, the government believes that India will support Sri Lanka in the face of any allegation at the UNHRC, "he added.

Addressing Journalists in Kerala,India, the minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken all measures to solve matters of the war affected persons and to develop the Northern and Eastern Provinces in his national development plan. Arrangements have been also made to strengthen the civil administration in those areas as well.

"We have already launched a number of development projects countrywide and currently Sri Lanka is on a fast track towards development. On the previous occasion, India favoured America's resolution concerned about protecting human rights and the resettlement programme'. At present, the resettlement programme has shown great progress and has won the appreciation of the international community."

"Our position is that India is our greatest friend and closest neighbour and they have been extremely supportive on many issues and they have been a friend indeed. So we believe that stand," he told the media.

Sri Lanka and India has longstanding bilateral ties. Our annual trade exceeds over USD five billion. The bulk of Sri Lanka's exports are to India,Minister Seneviratne said.