India summons TNA for ‘urgent’ talks

By Dharisha Bastians

Answering an urgent summons issued by New Delhi just days after the Government announced amendments to the 13th Amendment seeking to dilute the powers of the provincial councils, members of the Tamil National Alliance are scheduled to travel to India next week for crucial discussions, TNA officials said yesterday.

TNA President and MP for the Jaffna District Suresh Premachandran told Daily FT that dates for the visit had not been confirmed so far.

“The meeting has been sought to discuss the moves to dilute the 13th Amendment by the Government and the present situation in Sri Lanka,” Premachandran said.

He said the TNA delegation would comprise Party Leader R Sampanthan and about five other members.

The delegation is likely to meet with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and other high ranking members of the Indian Government, the TNA President said, although the meetings had not been specified so far.

New Delhi’s urgent meeting with the TNA was likely prompted by an announcement by the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa last Thursday (6) that it would move to amend two provisions of the 13th Amendment relating to the Provincial Councils ahead of the scheduled Northern Provincial Council elections.

President Rajapaksa has repeatedly assured Indian Prime Minister Singh and Indian officials that the 13th Amendment as drafted by the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord of 1987 would be fully implemented.