President’s re-election will lead to settlement - Indian FM
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Thursday said with his
re-election as the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa would
utilize this opportunity to work for a settlement with all ethnic
minorities in his country.
Addressing mediapersons on board a special aircraft while returning
from Kuwait, Krishna said: “We sincerely hope that President Rajapaksa
will utilise this mandate which has been given in his favour to bring
about a settlement with all the ethnic minorities in that country. So
that a new beginning with a sense of new hope can be initiated in Sri
Lanka.”
Last October, India offered Sri Lanka 100 million dollars to help war
refugees return home and rebuild the country’s ravaged north, as New
Delhi sought to engage in the island nation’s post-war reconstruction
and retain influence. A similar aid package was given by New Delhi to
Sri Lanka in July 2009 after the Sri Lankan government announced victory
in a 25-year war against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Sri
Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said 70-80 percent of the IDPs
would be resettled by January. So far, about 15,000 have been sent home.
(Express India)
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