India keen to see political settlement in Sri Lanka

Colombo: India on Sunday said it is committed to Sri Lanka as a partner for realising peace, harmony, growth and development and wants to see a genuine reconciliation and political settlement with the country`s Tamil community.

Addressing the Republic Day gathering here, Indian High Commissioner YK Sinha said, "A strong and mutually beneficial relationship with Sri Lanka, our nearest and in many ways our dearest neighbour, continues to remain at the core of India`s neighbourhood policy." India is committed to Sri Lanka as a partner for realising peace, harmony, growth and development. The Indian envoy noted that the end of the three-decade of armed conflict presented an unparallelled opportunity to build a brighter future for all the people of Sri Lanka. "The Government of India welcomed the successful culmination of elections to three Provincial Councils, including the Northern Provincial Council, in September 2013. India continues to urge all stakeholders to engage constructively, in a spirit of partnership and mutual accommodation. "Only such a cooperative approach will pave the way for genuine reconciliation and a political settlement." The Indian envoy said Indo-Lanka economic relations continue to be robust, with bilateral trade in 2013 at about USD 4 billion. Sinha noted that the problem of fishermen of both countries straying across the international maritime boundary line dividing India and Sri Lanka requires to be handled with sensitivity, taking into account the humanitarian and livelihood dimensions. He expressed hope that the meeting between fishermen`s associations on the two sides, scheduled to be held in Chennai on January 27, is expected to lay the foundation for a long term resolution of this issue.