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Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 5.34 GMT |
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India will intervene if LTTE lays down arms
- Chidambaram |
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If the LTTE laid down arms, India would
intervene and arrange for a negotiated
settlement to the ethnic issue, said Indian
Union Minister P. Chidambaram addressing a
public gathering organised by the Congress
Party yesterday.
"Our (Congress) policy is clear. LTTE is an
armed militant group. They must announce
that they are willing to lay down arms and
are prepared for talks," he was quoted as
saying by the Outlook India website.
The Union Minister criticised the LTTE for
not utilising the recent 48-hour ceasefire
proposed by the Sri Lankan Government to
allow people to move to safer areas and come
for talks.
He made it clear that India cannot directly
interfere in the war against LTTE, as
demanded by some political leaders, since
the country had itself not held talks with
militant outfits in the Northeast and
Kashmir, who had refused to give up arms.
"This fact has been understood only by DMK,
Congress and AIADMK in the state," he said,
adding PMK leader Dr. S. Ramadoss and
Viduthulai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader
Tol Tirumavalavan should also try to see
this viewpoint.
Stating that LTTE chief Prabhakaran was not
the sole leader of the Sri Lankan Tamils, he
said the outfit's main aim was to become an
authoritarian after coming to power.
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