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Lanka Foreign Minister Peiris in India to invite PM for CHOGM

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ANI New Delhi
Last Updated : Aug 18 2013 | 8:55 PM IST

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris arrived in New Delhi Sunday to invite Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo to be held in November.

Peiris will call on Prime Minister Singh on Monday to hand over the invitation for the November 15 to 17 event. He will also meet his Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid.

Both sides are expected to discuss matters of bilateral interest, including the issue of the 13th Amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution, carried out with Indian backing in 1987 to ensure autonomy for provinces and by extension to Sri Lankan Tamils in the island's north and east.

Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M.Karunanidhi has warned the UPA-II government that it risks alienating the people of Tamil Nadu by meeting Peiris. It has called on the government to object to the Sri Lankan Government's proposed plan to dilute some of the provisions of the amendment.

Karunanidhi on Saturday warned of rail blockades and black flags on houses and commercial establishments across Tamil Nadu if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not declare that India would not participate in the CHOGM in Colombo.

Sri Lanka's Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe is also to visit New Delhi next week to hold talks with Indian leaders.

Wickremesinghe, who would be on a private visit to India Aug 21-22, has requested a meeting with Indian leaders, news reports said.

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First Published: Aug 18 2013 | 8:49 PM IST

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