India appeals to Lanka to extend period of cessation of hostilities
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, April 22, IRNA -- India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday said that India had already made an appeal to the Sri Lanka government to extend the period of the cessation of hostilities.
"We did not use the term ceasefire; what we said was that there should be a pause to enable the civilians to go to safer zones", said Pranab Mukherjee at a meet-the-press program in Kolkata, PTI reported.
"I requested the Sri Lankan government to ensure that relief materials sent by India specially be distributed through the International Red Cross," he said.
The minister emphasized that relief materials sent by other countries and especially the UN should be also allowed to be distributed through the International Red Cross.
The minister said that India had been telling Colombo that what it was saying or doing 'should be in the interest of the international community so that there was no violation of human rights or liberties'.
With regard to the civilians' evacuation, he said the Sri Lankan authorities should take the international community into confidence.
India has no sympathy for the terrorists in Sri Lanka but was concerned only over the plight of thousands of civilians who are fleeing the conflilct zone, said Mukherjee.
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