Thimphu: India on Monday conveyed its "deep
concern" over killing of its fishermen allegedly by Sri Lankan
Navy as External Affairs Minister S M Krishna met his Lankan
counterpart G L Peiris, who said the two countries were
working to find a "sensible and pragmatic" solution that
endures.
During the 30-minute meeting, Peiris and Krishna agreed
on the early convening of the Joint Working Group to discuss
the issue of fishermen.
Peiris maintained that his government`s initial
investigation had shown that its Navy was not involved in the
death of the Indian fishermen and wanted more evidence, if
any, to prove otherwise so that the matter could be looked
into in that context.
India has already furnished some evidence and expressed
readiness to give more depending on availability, which is
expected from Tamil Nadu.
"The External Affairs Minister conveyed India`s deep
concern over the death of two Indian fishermen," External
Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash told reporters after
the meeting.
Both the sides agreed that force should not be resorted
to, Prakash said.
Peiris, who described the issue as a human one, told
Krishna that a thorough investigation was underway.
The Lankan Foreign Minister told reporters that the two
countries were discussing how the issue could be dealt with in
"a pragmatic way and I think a multi-pronged approach that has
been conceived by two governments will yield a sensible,
pragmatic solution which will endure."
PTI
