'Indo-Lanka Accord key to finding solution to Tamil issue' By T V Sriram

Colombo, Jan 16 (PTI) Viewing the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace
Accord as the key to finding a political solution to the
long-drawn ethnic conflict in the island, Colombo Friday said
the "decisive victories" of its security forces against LTTE
offered a "window of opportunity" to implement the 1987 pact.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohita Bogollagama stated
this during a meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary
Shivshankar Menon, who is on a two-day visit to the island
nation.

Describing Menon's visit as a reflection of India's
steadfast friendship with Sri Lanka as well as the maturity of
the bilateral relationship, Bogollagama extended "warm
appreciation" of his government for the continued
understanding of New Delhi on issues of mutual concern.

He said the Sri Lankan government "perceives the Indo-
Lanka Accord as the key to seeking a political solution
to the conflict" in the island, adding "the present juncture
offers a window of opportunity to implement the Accord, given
the decisive victories gained by the government in combating
LTTE terror on all fronts."

"In this context, he observed that the government is
currently in the process of exploring several avenues of
implementing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (relating
to devolution of power)," a Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry
statement said after a 30-minute meeting between Menon and
Bogollagama.

The Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord was signed here on July
29, 1987 by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and President J R
Jayewardene. Under the terms of the Accord, Sri Lanka agreed
to a devolution of power to the provinces in the island,
troops were withdrawn to their barracks in the north and the
Tamil rebels were to disarm.

The Sri Lankan Minister highlighted his government's
"sincere commitment to evolving a broadbased and an inclusive
peace process" in order to achieve a durable peace, acceptable
to all communities living in the island.

During the meeting, Menon said the bilateral ties have
reached "an unprecedented level of depth and quality today",
according to the statement.

It is during difficult times that the true quality of a
friendship becomes most evident, he said, adding "the
Indo-Lanka relationship is one such friendship that has
effectively withstood the test of time and adversity."

Bogollagama and Menon agreed that "a moment of political
opportunity has been made available to Sri Lanka today to
bring about an inclusive peace process with credible political
representation by the Tamil people within the country's
democratic process," the statement said.

Bogollagama also thanked the Indian government for the
humanitarian assistance extended by it for the welfare of
civilians living in the embattled northern Sri Lanka.

According to an Indian High Commission release, New Delhi
has decided on a second installment of humanitarian assistance
to the island nation amounting to Rs 1.7 crore.

The Sri Lankan statement said Menon appreciated the
"proactive role" played by Sri Lanka both multilaterally and
in the regional context in combating terrorism, and extended
the unstinted support of the Indian government in this regard.

He also briefed Bogollagama on the current status of the
probe into the Mumbai terror attacks and indicated that India
would continue to work closely with Pakistan to bring the
perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice, it said.

"He emphasised that concerted and collective
international action is needed in combating the scourge of
trans-national terror," the statement said.

Their meeting came amid demands by parties in Tamil Nadu
for a ceasefire between Lankan troops and LTTE. PTI TVS
PMR