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India advises Sri Lanka to find common ground
Bangalore, Nov 19: India has advised a solution based on a dialogue between Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramesinghe in order to find a common ground to resolve the political imbroglio and to begin dialogue with LTTE, without provoking a constitutional crisis, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said today.
Bangalore, Nov 19: India has advised a solution based on a dialogue between Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramesinghe in order to find a common ground to resolve the political imbroglio and to begin dialogue with LTTE, without provoking a constitutional crisis, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said today.
"We are advising a solution based on a dialogue between
the President (Kumaratunga) and Prime Minister
(Wickramesinghe) in order to find a common ground without
provoking a constitutional crisis.. And so that dialogue could
begin with LTTE," Sibal told reporters here on the sidelines
of the second meeting of the India-US High Technology
Cooperation Group.
He said Norway would continue to be involved in the peace process between LTTE and the Sri Lankan government once the present impasse ends.
"It is tactical suspension... It is not that they (Norway) are walking away (from the peace process)," Sibal said, adding that the Norwegian special envoy for Sri Lanka's peace process Erik Solheim met him in New Delhi yesterday.
"They will (resume).. Once the decks are clear and the conditions are clear," he said.
Asserting that India was interested in peace and stability in Sri Lanka, Sibal said the country wanted the peace process to move forward.
Asked on whether the present standoff between Kumaratunga and Wickramesinghe was due to the fear that the LTTE demands could undermine the integrity of Sri Lanka, Sibal said, "It is a very complex situation.. No doubt, that it got complicated further, because of lack of trust.” Bureau Report
He said Norway would continue to be involved in the peace process between LTTE and the Sri Lankan government once the present impasse ends.
"It is tactical suspension... It is not that they (Norway) are walking away (from the peace process)," Sibal said, adding that the Norwegian special envoy for Sri Lanka's peace process Erik Solheim met him in New Delhi yesterday.
"They will (resume).. Once the decks are clear and the conditions are clear," he said.
Asserting that India was interested in peace and stability in Sri Lanka, Sibal said the country wanted the peace process to move forward.
Asked on whether the present standoff between Kumaratunga and Wickramesinghe was due to the fear that the LTTE demands could undermine the integrity of Sri Lanka, Sibal said, "It is a very complex situation.. No doubt, that it got complicated further, because of lack of trust.” Bureau Report