Pranab to visit Sri Lanka, to finalie a Ceasefire. President Rajapakse and UNP are still unwilling in a rare joint cooperation of policy.

Pranab to visit Sri Lanka

http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/05/stories/2008120560930900.htm

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Special Correspondent from Hindu:

Manmohan’s assurance to all-party delegation

DISCUSSING PRIME ISSUES: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Thursday. Union Minister T.R.Baalu is in the picture.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will visit Sri Lanka “as early as possible” to hold talks with Colombo on the issue of Tamils living there.

He gave this assurance to an all-party delegation led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi here on Thursday, demanding India’s intervention for bringing an immediate ceasefire in Lanka; monitoring of relief and rehabilitation measures for the affected Sri Lankan Tamils and taking measures for recommencing peace talks for a political solution.

Mr. Karunanidhi, who briefed the media about the meeting with Dr. Singh, said the latter along with Mr. Mukherjee, explained the steps taken by the Centre on the issue and the situation prevailing there.

Later, he met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and sought her intervention and assistance on the issue, he said. Asked whether he had urged Dr. Singh to include the representatives of Tamil Nadu during Mr. Mukherjee visit to Colombo, he said those matters would be discussed later. To aquestion, Mr. Karunanidhi said he expected a ceasefire announcement between the warring parties in Sri Lanka.

On reports that the Indian government was still supplying arms and ammunition to Sri Lanka, he said he had taken up the issue with the Centre earlier too. “Even today I raised the issue with the Prime Minister. But they are denying it.”

Asked about CPI State secretary D. Pandian’s statement expressing unhappiness over the Prime Minister’s response, he said: “It is his view. As far as I am concerned I feel that all must be united on the issue. I don’t want to break the unity by answering such remarks.”

Mr. Karunanidhi criticised the AIADMK, MDMK, BJP and DMDK for boycotting the delegation and said it reflected their feelings to the sufferings of Sri Lankan Tamils. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.V. Thangkabalu, who joined the delegation, claimed that all the leaders present at the meeting made it clear that they were not supporting the banned LTTE. They only wanted India’s intervention to protect the civilian Tamils who were getting killed or injured in the war.

Among others Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK general secretary K. Anbazhagan, Congress Legislature Party leader D. Sudarsanam, PMK founder S. Ramadoss, its president G.K. Mani, CPI State secretary D. Pandian, MDMK (rebel group) MP L. Ganesan, Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi general secretary Thol. Thirumavalavan and Puthiya Tamizhagam president K. Krishnaswamy joined the 23-member delegation.

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In the event the GOSL does not cooperate, India has already placed other plans, which will go into effect, since there are reports of Sinhala Buddhist resistance to the Indian proposal. Such resistance from the Sinhalese is not surprising from Colombo.