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India has informed a senior envoy of Sri Lankan president that it will send 800 tonnes of relief to war affected Tamil civilians in the north of the country. The move was announced in a joint statement on Sunday at the conclusion of a visit by Basil Rajapaksa to Delhi. During his two-day visit, Mr. Rajapaksa has held discussions with External Affairs Minister, National Security Advisor and Foreign Secretary, a joint statement issued in Delhi said. "As a gesture of goodwill, India has decided to send around 800 tons of relief material to Sri Lanka for the affected civilians in the North. The Government of Sri Lanka will facilitate the delivery," the statement added. During talks in Delhi, Basil Rajapaksa, the special advisor to the Sri Lankan president, has told journalists in Delhi that Indian medical teams would be allowed into Sri Lanka to provide aid to affected Tamils. "Every assurance we have given (to) look after the human behaviour needs and whichever way we can," he was quoted by PTI news agency. The two countries have agreed that terrorism "should be countered with resolve," according to the joint statement. "The Indian side called for implementation of the 13th Amendment and greater devolution of powers to the provinces. Mr. Basil Rajapaksa emphasized that the President of Sri Lanka and his Government were firmly committed to a political process that would lead to a sustainable solution".
The Sri Lankan military is currently engaged in a major offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels, angering politicians in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu. Indian government allies in Tamil Nadu have threatened to resign if the coalition government in Delhi doesn't take action. India and Sri Lanka have agreed to put in place "practical arrangements" with regards to fishermen crossing maritime boundaries. The two countries are also to continue discussions on the proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the field of fisheries, the joint release said. | LOCAL LINKS Don't support LTTE - TMVP tells TN26 October, 2008 | Sandeshaya Pro-LTTE leaders arrested in TN23 October, 2008 | Sandeshaya Protesters attack Chennai HC23 October, 2008 | Sandeshaya India 'assured' on civilians safety22 October, 2008 | Sandeshaya Sri Lanka 'looks after all citizens'21 October, 2008 | Sandeshaya Broker truce - TN tells Delhi14 October, 2008 | Sandeshaya No for military victory - Indian PM15 October, 2008 | Sandeshaya Tigers thank TN political parties09 October, 2008 | Sandeshaya EXTERNAL LINKS The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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