Sarna says Sri Lankan officials' visit was 'part of a routine' between neighbours

Sri Lanka government on Thursday announced that a high level committee was established following a visit by three senior officials to Delhi this week.

"The establishment of this committee is the outcome of the discussions the Sri Lankan delegation held with their counterparts in New Delhi," a statement issued by the Presidential Secretariat said.

'Regular' exchange of visits

However, Indian government spokesperson Navtej Sarna said the visit by Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Defence Secretary Gothabhaya Rajapaksa and Senior Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa was a routine one.

As far as I understand I don't have any specific comment yet on this story but the story is referring to was part of the regular exchange of visits that takes place very often between India and Sri Lanka given our close neighbourly relations Indian government spokesman Navtej Sarna

Commenting on the news reports of the Committee he said:

"I have seen the story but as far as I understand I don't have any specific comment yet on this story but the story is referring to was part of the regular exchange of visits that takes place very often between India and Sri Lanka given our close neighbourly relations," Navtej Sarna told journalists in Delhi.

Sri Lankan government said senior Indian officials are also appointed to the the six-member Committee that includes three visiting Sri Lankan officials.

Senior Indian officials

"Defence Secretary Shri Vijay Singh, External Affairs Secretary Shivshankar Menon and National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan," are representing India in the high level committee, according to the statement issued by the Presidential Secretariat.

The establishment of this committee is the outcome of the discussions the Sri Lankan delegation held with their counterparts in New Delhi Sri Lanka Presidential Secretariat

When asked about the Sri Lanka statement on appointing the Committee, spokesman for External Affairs ministry Navtej Sarna said:

"I said I don't have a direct comment on that story except the fact that the visit as I understand was a part of the regular exchange of the visits that takes place".

However, Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona told BBC Sandeshaya that he stood by the Government statement.

He refused to comment further.