Colombo, Sept 18: Sri Lanka strengthened its "security posture" thanks to India's cooperation and it banked on support from New Delhi and Washington in case of an external threat, premier Ranil Wickremesinghe said today. "There have been many measures taken by our government to restructure and strengthen our security forces to ensure that we are in a position to meet any hostile threat," Wickremesinghe said in a letter to his arch rival, president Chandrika Kumaratunga, denying her allegation that the government was "jeopardising" national security. Wickremesinghe said he had met with his Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee soon after winning elections in December 2001 and had consultations on defence cooperation.

"Following this consultation, we set in motion a series of steps in the sphere of defence cooperation between our two countries. These initiatives have strengthened our national security posture," the Prime Minister said. "Separate programmes have been worked out for the army, navy and air force and special forces," Wickremesinghe said. "This is being achieved in a systematic manner using both our own expertise and resources as well as the support of countries like India and the United States."

Wickremesinghe, in his five-page letter, said his government has taken measures to restructure and strengthen security forces amid a ceasefire with Tamil Tiger rebels.

Kumaratunga and Wickremesinghe are daggers drawn over the handling of the Norwegian-backed peace process with Tamil Tigers and the president three days ago accused the Prime Minister of jeopardising national security. Bureau Report