http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/07/stories/2011060764471300.htm


Menon, Nirupama to hold talks with Sri Lankan officials

R.K. Radhakrishnan


India faces the uphill task of getting Sri Lanka act on joint statement

The aim is to ensure lasting peace in Sri Lanka


COLOMBO: Two top Indian officials will visit Sri Lanka later this week to discuss, among other things, the progress in the reconciliation process in north Sri Lanka, and the United Nations Secretary-General’s Expert Panel Report on Accountability in Sri Lanka.

National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao — who have served in Sri Lanka as High Commissioners — will hold consultations with their Sri Lankan counterparts over the steps for a lasting peace in Sri Lanka, officials here said.

They will seek to impress upon Colombo that the way forward is outlined in two joint statements — one between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in May 2009, and the other, the May 17, 2011 joint statement issued after talks between Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris and his Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna, in New Delhi.

The Krishna-Peiris statement said “a devolution package, building upon the 13th Amendment, would contribute towards creating the necessary conditions for such reconciliation … The External Affairs Minister of India urged the expeditious implementation of measures by the Government of Sri Lanka, to ensure resettlement and genuine reconciliation, including early return of Internally Displaced Persons [IDPs] to their homes, early withdrawal of emergency regulations, investigations into allegations of human rights violations, restoration of normalcy in affected areas and redress of humanitarian concerns of the affected families.”

Mr. Menon and Ms. Rao face the uphill task of getting the Sri Lankan establishment to act on the joint statement. The statement has been widely criticised by the Sri Lankan nationalist Opposition parties and the mainstream press since then. They have accused Professor Peiris of buckling to Indian pressure and signing the statement.

Some political commentators have questioned the rationale and basis of the 13th Constitutional Amendment, which was pushed by India in 1987, and condemned the Indian intervention to have this revived.

The National Security Adviser and the Foreign Secretary form part of a high-level three-member team, the troika, established during the 2006-09 Eelam War IV, for India and Sri Lanka to keep in touch on a regular basis. On the Indian side, the Defence Secretary completed the troika.

The Sri Lankan team is headed by the President’s brother and Economic Development Minister, Basil Rajapaksa. It includes another brother and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, and President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga.

In a low-key exchange of notes between the two sides ahead of the Indian team’s visit, Mr. Basil Rajapaksa visited India in the last week of May for consultations. As he is on tour now, he will not be part of the deliberations when the Indian team arrives here later this week.

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/srilanka/Another-weekend-of-Indo-Lanka-talks/Article1-706746.aspx


Another weekend of Indo-Lanka talks


Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times


Colombo, June 07, 2011

Visiting Colombo few times every year has become routine for foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and national security advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. Both served as high commissioners and both, because of their rich diplomatic experience in dealing with venerable Lankan politicians, are currently indispensable to India’s post-war diplomacy in Colombo. They are again expected this weekend.

Meetings with President Mahinda Rajapaksa are usually held over fresh fruits, cereals and tea in the morning. At some point, Tamil parties’ representatives meet to complain that the Rajapaksa regime is not interested in devolving power to the regions. Then there are appointments with the extended Rajapaksa family about ongoing Indian projects and meetings with sundry ministers, more about protocol than substance; there will be recurring phrases like historic opportunity, genuine reconciliation and 13th Amendment; in all, little time to visit old friends or pick up something from the chic Odel store while on the rush.

There are points worth taking note this time though. On Monday, Rajapaksa promised a political solution to the minorities, "…which meets the needs of the people in the North…signifies a common Sri Lankan identity will be granted to them without being driven by foreign influences." Rajapaksa knows it best that no other "foreign influence" more than India is interested in the political solution.

Also, the Indian diplomats will be here in the middle of talks between the government and the Tamil National Alliance, an umbrella alliance of Tamil parties, to resolve the ethnic issue. The seventh round of government-TNA talks is slated end-June. 

The slow pace of a major Indian housing project is likely to be discussed. The 50000 houses-project was announced last year when Rajapaksa visited New Delhi; the pilot phase was inaugurated by foreign minister SM Krishna in November. The project is apparently stalled over names of beneficiaries.

The recent Indo-Lanka joint statement – where India said Lanka should probe rights violations and withdraw Emergency laws – received vicious flak in the media. Foreign minister, GL Peiris took the censure though there was no way he would have endorsed it without Rajapaksa’s nod. So, taking the joint statement forward will be a tantalising balance between domestic Lankan politics and international diplomacy.

After so much, how could either Odel or old friends be

on the agenda?