Policy on LTTE leader's extradition has not been changed, says India

In what appear to be the first official response since Sri Lanka military captured LTTE's former political headquarters, Kilinochchi, India's Foreign Secretary re-stressed that there is no military solution for problems facing Sri Lanka.

“There is no military solution to Sri Lanka’s problem, no matter how the military situation might fluctuate,” Shiv Shankar Menon told journalists in Delhi.

He said that military solution is only one among the “several aspects” of Sri Lanka’s problem.

Until there is a political understanding within the framework of a united Sri Lanka, within which all the communities in Sri Lanka are comfortable, you cannot speak of a political solution Shiv Shankar Menon

“Until there is a political understanding within the framework of a united Sri Lanka, within which all the communities in Sri Lanka are comfortable, you cannot speak of a political solution,” he added.

The Foreign Secretary added that India has been working for the last few months to send relief supplies to displaced people in Sri Lanka.

India’s policy on LTTE leader, he said, has not been changed.

“On Prabhakaran I think our views are well known, we have consistently sought his extradition to face trial here and that continues,” Shiv Shankar Menon said.