The Hindu : International / India & World : Bridges with India remain: Kadirgamar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 14, 2004

International

International - India & World

Bridges with India remain: Kadirgamar

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, MAY 13. "Relations between India and Sri Lanka are on such a firm footing that it did not depend on who comes to power; the `bridges' are there and the bilateral relationship is permanent and irreversible," says the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar. Speaking to media persons here as he was about to end his official visit to the United States, Mr. Kadirgamar said that his country would immediately start working with the new arrangements in India.

"India-Sri Lanka relations are on a very sound footing and it does not depend who is in office because the institutional connections between our two governments is very strong irrespective of parties; the people-to-people contact is very strong and growing; and trade relations are also very strong. The relationship consists of interlocking set of aspects or facets. We will work immediately with the Congress Government," the Foreign Minister said. Asked what would happen with respect to the chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, V. Prabakaran, Mr. Kadirgamar maintained that Colombo had always been in touch with all parties.

"The Congress had made it clear that the request for extradition of Mr. Prabakaran remains. It is on the table... and there is no question of it being withdrawn," the Minister remarked while going on to say that the BJP Government took a similar view but would not press for it to be implemented because they took notice of the fact that there were negotiations going on. "Now what the Congress will do about the request itself I am not able to say," he said.

Mr. Kadirgamar maintained that it was too hypothetical to answer what would happen if the Congress Government insisted on the implementation of the extradition and the kind of implications this would have for the peace process in the island nation. "There are two hypotheses. One is if Congress makes the request... secondly what impact it would have is a very difficult matter because we have to remember all the time that this is a decision of a sovereign state... It is not something we can do something about," Mr. Kadirgamar said, making the point that if New Delhi persisted with the request there were procedures that would have to be gone through in Sri Lankan courts as per international law.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

Rumsfeld in Iraq on damage control mission

I wished for death, says prisoner

U.S. military accused of abusing Afghan detenus

Israeli missile strikes kill 10 Palestinians

Call for U.N. force in Palestine

`Saddam must be brought to justice'

Blair says he might quit to save the party

Russia-Uzbek ties receive boost

Jubilation in Sonia's native town

Pakistan hopes peace process will continue

Bridges with India remain: Kadirgamar

U.S `looking forward' to work with new government