Talks only way out in Sri Lanka: India
IRNA
New Delhi, Nov 6, IRNA -- India`s External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday called on Sri Lankan leaders to resolve differences through dialogue, even as the country`s President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, cancelled her scheduled visit to New Delhi, local press reported here on Thursday. "We hope that the Sri Lankan leadership will be able to sort out the issues which have arisen through dialogue," Sinha told reporters. He denied that the latest developments would have any impact on India-Sri Lanka relations, and expressed hope that everyone would abide by the Constitution of Sri Lanka and proceed accordingly. Sinha referred to the response of the Indian government that the latest events in Sri Lanka should not lead to a constitutional crisis, and hoped that these "will not impact on the peace process". He said the peace process should be carried forward in terms of the "overall framework" which had been emphasized once again during the October visit of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, to New Delhi. In a joint statement with Sri Lanka during Wickremesinghe`s visit, India had spelt out a framework for the Liberation of Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that its counter-proposals should be "reasonable" and that an interim arrangement should be part of a final settlement. New Delhi had also stressed that a solution should be within the parameters of Sri Lanka`s unity and territorial integrity. Sinha stressed that India is watching developments in the island-nation "very closely". "We`ll keep watching the situation but, as I said, we are hoping that they will engage in a dialogue among themselves," he said. On the India-Sri Lanka bilateral relationship, Sinha said this was considered as a "valued relationship" - a view shared by all political parties in the country. "We are engaged with Sri Lanka in various ways..." he said, adding that trade and economic ties between the two countries were "very, very meaningful" The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, on Wednesday issued orders in Colombo for a "short-term" emergency in the island to "maintain essential services." She also reiterated her commitment to the peace process and said she had no intention to "resume or provoke the resumption of violence." A day after it lost three ministerial portfolios, the ruling United National Front (UNF) said it enjoyed the confidence of a majority 124 MPs in the 225-member Parliament, and would not resort to any unconstitutional move. It said it would go ahead with its budget-making process. The "arbitrary" move by the Sri Lankan president - though entirely constitutional - "infringed" the "fundamental criteria" of democracy, the UNF said. The Presidential Secretariat rejected the speculation that Kumaratunga had taken over the Finance portfolio as having "absolutely no truth." Earlier Wednesday, the president met the service commanders, and passed orders for a short-term emergency. The move, according to the Presidential Secretariat, was aimed more at maintaining normality. The period would also be used to "take stock of the security situation," the sources said. A gazette notification, specifying the period of emergency, is expected tomorrow. Kumaratunga`s constitutional position was further strengthened, with a five-member Supreme Court Bench unanimously determining that the "plenary executive power including the defence of Sri Lanka is vested and reposed with the president." On the peace process and the negotiations with the LTTE, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, headed by Kumaratunga, said that "some of the provisions" in the LTTE`s counter-proposals "may be talked about". But the "sovereignty, territorial integrity and the unity of Sri Lanka is not negotiable," Kadirgamar said. /AA/212 End
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