India wants Lanka to put peace bid on fast track

NEW DELHI: A day after LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran called the Sri Lankan ceasefire “defunct”, India hoped that there would be progress in the peace process.

Expressing the hope, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee told visiting Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse that it will help all ethnic communities in Sri Lanka live harmoniously and achieve their aspirations.

According to external affairs ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna, Mr Mukherjee has also talked about arriving at a political solution as soon as possible to solve the ethnic conflict. Detailed talks on the peace process are set to take place on Wednesday when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets Mr Rajapakse.

But the government’s inaction on the Lanka crisis is evoking criticism from Tamil Nadu parties. Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, who had abstained from making a comment on the Lankan crisis for some time, recently asked the government to intervene and think of an appropriate solution to end the ethnic fighting. MDMK chief Vaiko and his party activists sat on a day long fast protesting the Lankan president’s visit and any defence pact with Lanka.

Mr Rajapakse had said before coming to India that he would ask India for joint patrolling off the coast to stop smuggling of arms into Lanka. Mr Rajapakse had told reporters that he was ready for direct talks with the LTTE on a negotiated settlement.

“I am anytime ready for a negotiated settlement and for negotiating with the LTTE,” he had said. “The world must realise that LTTE is not the Tamil people and all Tamil people are not terrorists. So this must be realised by the people,” said Mr Rajapakse.

India, till now, has offered only constitutional help and has expressed satisfaction with the role Norway is playing as a peace broker. But questions over the future of the peace process are now looming large, with the LTTE chief calling the process defunct and saying he would continue his fight for an independent state. He also accused the Lankan government of pursuing a military solution.

Reports from Lanka said Tiger rebels have stepped up attacks on military positions. The Lankan government has now asked for a clarification from Norway on the status of the peace process in light of Prabhakaran’s martyrs’ day statement.

Meanwhile , Mr Mukherjee held delegation-level talks with Sri Lankan foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera on bilateral relations. According to an official, the discussions mainly centred on economic, commercial and infrastructure issues, including a review of projects in health, education and oil exploration sectors. The Comprehensive Economic Pact Agreement to be signed between the two countries next year was also discussed.

The talks were described as “pleasant and congenial” by the Lankan side. The Lankan president also met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday and is expected to meet leader of the opposition LK Advani on Wednesday.