President to Menon: PSC should be path to consensus on 13 A :

PRESIDENT AND MENON URGE: TNA SHOULD BE IN PSC

* ‘Structure that is implemented should apply and be acceptable to all parts of country’

* Practical problems that exist with devolving land, police powers to provinces explained

President Mahinda Rajapaksa during a discussion with India’s National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, said the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is the best forum to reach a consensus on the implementation of the 13th Amendment.

The President agreed with Menon that the participation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in the PSC is important. It is a top priority of the government to reach a consensus on the 13th Amendment, President Rajapaksa said.

At the meeting at President’s House in Colombo last morning, President Rajapaksa explained to Menon the practical problems involved in devolving land and police powers to the provinces in a small country such as Sri Lanka -- and stressed that the structure that is implemented ‘should apply and be acceptable to all parts of the country.’

The President also urged India to encourage the TNA to participate in the PSC and stated that the government is committed to taking the process forward despite any obstacles.

Indian Prime Minister’s Office director Manu Mahavar, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Y.K. Sinha and Deputy High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka P. Kumaran accompanied Menon.

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda, External Affairs Ministry Monitoring Member of Parliament Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Prasad Kariyawasam also participated.