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India’s assurance to Sri Lanka on economic support

COLOMBO: Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh called on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa here on Thursday and reiterated India’s commitment to provide economic foundation to the 13th Amendment to the island nation’s Constitution for devolution of powers.

In the course of a courtesy call on Mr. Rajapaksa, the Minister said India would strengthen the economic muscle through investments in key areas. Mr. Ramesh told the President and Prime Minister Ratnisiri Wickremenayake, whom he met earlier, that economic development and integration was a major antidote to terrorism and it would help resolve the ethnic conflict to the satisfaction of all communities. Mr. Wickremenayake told the Minister that his government was going ahead with the implementation of the Amendment in the east and provincial elections were likely to be completed by May. He also said the government would soon appoint an interim provincial council as a preliminary step towards holding of elections.

Mr. Wickremanayake told the Minister that he had extended an invitation to all the heads of the SAARC for the proposed summit in August in Kandy. Mr. Ramesh sought Colombo’s help in expeditious conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. He told them that New Delhi would encourage Sri Lankan companies to invest in India to boost exports and bridge the trade deficit.

Separately, the military said at least 27 LTTE cadre and eight soldiers were killed along the Forward Defence Lines.

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