India – Sri Lanka: Further strengthening of good relations

- President meets Indian leaders

[Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 10.11 GMT]  
  
The continued good relations between India and Sri Lanka featured prominently in talks between President Mahinda Rajapaksa with the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party leader Smt. Sonia Gandhi at New Delhi yesterday (13).

  
At the meeting with the Dr. Manmohan Singh which took place at the Prime Minister’s official residence, there was a warm exchange of views on the present state of Indo-Sri Lanka relations and current developments impacting on these relations between the two countries.
  
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh commended the excellent relations between India and Sri Lanka and observed that it was necessary to keep working to ensure continued good relations and understanding on all fronts.
  
President Rajapaksa told the Indian Premier of the situation in Sri Lanka, especially with regard to the search for a political solution to the ethnic issue and the battle against terrorism; and the government’s programme for development of the Eastern Province for economic progress and the advance of democracy.
  
The Indian Prime Minister said India was ready to walk all the length to continue to strengthen the links between the two countries and build on the multi-faceted nature of the relationship.
  
He also referred to continued understanding and cooperation between Sri Lanka and India on matters of security and political affairs.
  
The meeting took place after the Sri Lankan President addressed the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, where he spoke on:’ India a regional context: A neighbour’s view”. In his Keynote Speech stressed the Government’s determination to fight terrorism, with an equal commitment to seek a negotiated and sustainable solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka.
  
In his inaugural address to the Leadership Summit Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: “Let there be no mistake about our resolve to meet the challenge the challenge of terrorism head on…. We have to mobilize all our resources and will power for continued defeat of the terrorist machinery,” said Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, answering a question about the perception that the Indian Government is soft on terrorism.
  
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona, and High Commissioner Romesh Jayasinghe and India’s National Security Advisor M. K. Narayan and External Affairs Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon were present at this meeting.
  
At the meeting with Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi the discussions were centred on the new developments in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka and the efforts to defeat terrorism in the country.
  
The Congress leader was apprised of the new development programme in areas cleared of the LTTE, and the moves being taken to make the east a model for development of a hitherto politically disadvantaged region of the country.
  
Smt. Gandhi said it was encouraging to know of the steps being taken to obtain a political solution to the crisis in Sri Lanka, and of the loss of a recruiting base for the LTTE in the East, particularly the recruitment of child soldiers. She too stressed on the need to strengthen to good relations between the two countries.