India urges Sri Lanka to act decisively and devolve powers to Tamils

NEW DELHI - India has urged Sri Lanka to act decisively evolve powers to Tamils, which would help in winning the hearts and minds of the minority community, as promised by President Mahinda Rajapaksa before the Presidential elections.

“Now that everything is over –Presidential elections, parliamentary elections — its time for President Rajapaksa to act decisively to win over Tamils so that their concerns are taken care of,” said External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, while addressing the media persons here.

Krishna had on Thursday ’sustained’ discussions with his Lankan counterpart G L Peiris who is visiting India for discussions on devolution and rehabilitation of internally displaced Tamils.

Krishna told reporters: “I had a meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister and had sustained dialogue with him on the question of rehabilitation ofthe internally displaced people. The number of internally displaced has come down according to Sri Lanka Foreign Office; the number has come down to 20, 000 IDP’s.”

Krishna said that it was in the long-term interest of Sri Lanka to bring homogeneity between Tamil Sri Lankans and Sinhalese Sri Lankans.

“Integration needs to be worked out,” he added. (ANI)