Indian Foreign Secretary meets Sri Lanka President for talks

India's Foreign Secretary Ms. Nirupama Rao who arrived in Sri Lanka late Sunday for a one-day official visit met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the President's House this morning and held bilateral discussions on several issues. Ms. Rao was accompanied by the Tamil Nadu State Secretary S.K. Pandian and Additional Secretary to the Indian Foreign Ministry Mrs. P.S. Thirumoorthi.


External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L Peiris, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the External Affairs Ministry Romesh Jayasinghe, Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha, and Sri Lanka High Commissioner to India Prasad Kariyawasam were also present.

Among the issues focused during the discussion were the alleged killing of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel, the attack on Mahabodhi temple, and the progress of the India-funded projects in the country.

Ms. Rao is also scheduled to have discussions on the alleged kiling of the Indian fishermen with the External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

India's Tamil Nadu politicians allege that two Indian fishermen were killed in two separate incidents within a fortnight by the Sri Lankan navy personnel.

India strongly condemned the killing and requested the Sri Lankan government to seriously investigate the incident.

Sri Lanka have denied that its Navy personnel attacked the Indian fisherman at sea and raised the suspicion [...]