India calls for genuine political reconciliation in Sri Lanka

Colombo, Apr 21 (Xinhua-ANI): A visiting delegation of Indian legislators said on Saturday that they had urged Sri Lanka to go for genuine political reconciliation.

Speaking to reporters at the conclusion of a six-day trip to Sri Lanka, Indian opposition leader Sushma Suwaraj who led the delegation said that they was satisfied with the pace of the development and reconstruction work undertaken by the Sri Lankan government in the war battered north and east of the country.

However, she noted there are still issues needed to be addressed including the resettlement of some 6,000 war-displaced people who remain in displacement camps and the resumption of talks aimed at reaching a political settlement.

"We have urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to end the stalemate in talks with the Tamil National Alliance. The government must persuade the Tamil National Alliance to resume talks. We made the same appeal to the Tamil National Alliance. We also emphasized that there needs to be devolution of power,"Suwaraj said.

Two key political parties from Tamil Nadu in southern India, the AIDMK and DMK, withdrew their members from the Indian delegation which toured Sri Lanka, saying the visit will not address concerns raised in India about Sri Lankan Tamils.

The delegation on Saturday met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and discussed Indian concerns on post war Sri Lanka including demilitarization of the north.

On Friday, the delegation met the Eastern Province Chief Minister and former Tamil Tiger rebel Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan who had called for the implementation of an accord inked between India and Sri Lanka in 1987, Chandrakanthan's spokesman Azad Maulana said. (Xinhua-ANI)