— Photo: AFP

WELCOME TO DELHI: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee presents an invitation to Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the SAARC summit in Delhi in April, in Colombo on Tuesday.

COLOMBO: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa that India was of the firm view that a solution to the ethnic conflict in the island nation could be achieved only through dialogue.

He said this in an informal talk with correspondents here after meeting Mr. Rajapaksa and other senior leaders.

Mr. Mukherjee was here to deliver an invitation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Mr. Rajapaksa and Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera for the SAARC summit in Delhi in April.

Mr. Mukherjee hoped that the Chairman of the All-Parties Conference, constituted by Mr. Rajapaksa, would be able to reconcile reports of the multi-ethnic experts committee on resolution of the conflict and come forward with a consensus report.

The talks with Mr. Rajapaksa, he said, covered issues of concern to India, including the humanitarian situation in the north and east and measures to find a solution to the ethnic question acceptable to all communities.

Diplomatic sources said Mr. Mukherjee had a 30-minute one-on-one interaction with Mr. Rajapaksa.

"India is concerned about the current situation in the island nation and we are sure he articulated them in the course of the meeting with the Sri Lanka President," a senior diplomat said.

"Government must respond"

Asked about the Rajapaksa Government's decision to initiate measures for de-merger of northern and eastern provinces after the October Supreme Court verdict, Mr. Mukherjee said while they followed the apex court judgment, it was for the Government to respond to the issue.

"The temporary merger of north and east was a follow up to the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka accord and it is up to the Government to decide on how to meet the situation arising out the Supreme Court judgement declaring the merger as null and void", Mr. Mukherjee said.

An official statement here said Mr. Rajapaksa accepted Dr. Singh's invitation.

It quoted him as saying that Sri Lanka was looking forward to the summit that will coincide with the member-countries launching new initiatives for economic progress in the South Asian region.

The statement said that during Mr. Mukherjee' s meetings, issues of mutual interest pertaining to trade and economic cooperation, promotion of cultural and people to people contacts and the peace process in Sri Lanka were discussed.

The Sri Lankan leaders shared with Mr. Mukherjee the measures taken to ensure security while pursuing the peace process.

Commitment

Mr. Rajapaksa reiterated his steadfast commitment to a negotiated political solution to the national issue.

He emphasised the high priority his administration was giving to the mechanism of the All Party Conference.

He was confident that the deliberations within this forum would contribute to a national consensus on devolution, the statement said..

Mr. Samaraweera and Science and Technology Minister Professor Tissa Vitarana, who also chairs the All-Party Conference Representatives Committee (APRC), were with Mr. Rajapaksa at the meeting with Mr. Mukherjee.

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