Sri Lanka happy with Modi meeting

THE Sri Lankan government Thursday dismissed fears that the new Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could work against Colombo’s interests.

Government minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said Tuesday’s meeting between Modi and President Mahinda Rajapaksa had further strengthened the ties between the two countries.

‘There were reports that we will face issues with a BJP government,” Xinhua quoted the minister as saying.

“They said it will not be like things were under the Congress. Some said our government will be removed.

“But the first meeting between the president and Modi was very successful,” he said.

Rajapaksa met Modi a day after the latter was sworn in as the new Indian prime minister. They discussed several issues including the 13th amendment to the constitution and the row over fishermen.

De Silva said Rajapaksa conveyed to Modi Sri Lanka’s stand on some of the issues and heard what Modi had to say.

“We will look at addressing any issue through discussions and not through confrontational politics,” he said at a press briefing.

He added that India’s new External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was “well aware of the developments in Sri Lanka as she visited the country as the opposition leader following the end of the war”.

Sri Lanka defeated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009 but has been accused of committing grave human rights abuses during the final stages of the conflict. — Indo Asian News Service