KADIRGAMAR TALKS IN NEW DELHI IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE NEW DEFENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES
By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles
June 01, 12.15 PM: India will strengthen defense cooperation with Sri Lanka said India’s new External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh addressing a joint press briefing with Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in New Delhi.
Analysts said that the two countries would enter into a new defense agreement and the discussions started by Kadirgamar would eventually lead to such an agreement soon.
The new enthusiasm shown by India’s Congress government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is seen by analysts as a new phase between the two South Asian neighbors and a step away from India’s former policy of non-interference in the affairs of the Sri Lanka’s crisis. Kadirgamar is the first foreign minister invited to visit the Indian capital after the new Congress government was formed.
Many expected that the successful discussions between the two South Asian neighbors would lead to a Defense Cooperation Agreement between the two countries .Natwar Singh said at the press briefing that Lakshman Kadirgamar would be meeting India’s Defense Minister Pranab Mukerjee apart from having a separate discussions between officials. He said future discussions also would be fixed and dates decided.
Natwar Singh said he hoped no problem over the new policy with their coalition partner, the DMK in the South and he would inform in full the discussions he has had with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister to his government’s South Indian coalition partners.
He strongly hinted that India could play a role in the rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the island’s war torn areas.
Natwar Singh was quoted in the Indian press of having said, “We've had an hour's extensive discussion on matters of mutual interest, which have covered political, economic, security and trade [issues]. These discussions were, as they should be, held in a frank and free manner. Both countries attach very high importance to their bilateral relations.
"As you know, India is committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and the unity of Sri Lanka in a federal system and the Prime Minister [Manmohan Singh] has said that we very much hope that a peaceful, negotiated solution will be found which will maintain the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka and satisfy all sections of the people of Sri Lanka."
Lakshman Kadirgamar told the press briefing that a significant body of opinion existed in Sri Lanka that India should play a role in Sri Lanka’s peace process. He was quoted in the Indian press of having said , “"That body of opinion exists ... it has not reached the point where I can tell you with any precision or definition what this role is going to be. It looks as though the role certainly can be a role in the field of reconstruction, rehabilitation, humanitarian work which the Indian Government has always been interested in, which all Sri Lankan Government have been interested in because we are dealing with the plight of the people of the North and the East who have been buffeted by war for 20 years,"
