Fri, 2012-09-21 00:06 — editor
From R. Vasudevan—Reporting from New Delhi
New Delhi, 21 September (Asiantribune.com):
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday evening discussed key bilateral issues with India pressing for an expeditious inclusive solution to the decades-long ethnic issue and rehabilitation of displaced Tamils.
Singh also hosted a private dinner, which was attended by a select
number of guests, for the visiting dignitary.
Rajapaksa has been invited by Madhya Pradesh government for the
foundation stone-laying ceremony of the University of Buddhist and Indic
Studies in Sanchi.
Concerned over the slow pace of the rehabilitation of Tamils, New Delhi
has been pressing Colombo to fast-track the rehabilitation of war-displaced
Tamils in Sri Lanka and also asking it to speed up a lasting solution to the
ethnic issue.
On his part, Rajapaksa talked about various steps taken by his
government to rehabilitate Tamils as also in dealing with the ethnic issue.
The visit also comes amid angry protests by some Tamil political
leaders.
Earlier, Rajapaksa met President Pranab Mukherjee during which rehabilitation
process for Tamils and fishermen issues were discussed. In the backdrop of the
recent attacks against Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu, the visiting leader, during
his meeting with Mukherjee, also noted that such "unfortunate
incidents" should not be allowed to "harm" age-old ties between
the two countries.
- Asian Tribune -
