Jaishankar holds talks with Lankan leadership, reviews ties

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today held discussions with the top leadership here and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties amid Sri Lankan government's efforts to achieve reconciliation with the minority Tamil community following decades of civil war.
Jaishankar, who arrived here on Saturday, called on Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and met a delegation from the main Tamil party Tamil National Alliance (TNA). He had a "useful" discussion with the TNA delegation on the outstanding issues faced by the Tamils in the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka.
The TNA delegation expressed its concerns over the current stalemate in drafting a new Constitution, party sources said.

At the meeting held at the Indian High Commission, the TNA delegation apprised Jaishankar of some pressing issues faced by the Tamil people including the lack of progress in relation to the release of lands held by the military in the North and Eastern provinces, disappearances, and release of Tamil political prisoners.
The TNA delegation, led by Leader of the Opposition R Sampanthan, comprised of senior leaders Mavai Senathirajah, M A Sumanthiran, Selvam Adaikkalanaathan, Dharmalingham Siddaarththan and Suresh Premachandran.
The Sri Lankan government is seeking to achieve reconciliation with the Tamil community after the nearly three-decades long civil war that came to an end with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.

Jaishankar, later, called on President Sirisena and discussed recent political developments in Sri Lanka, officials said.

"It was a pleasure meeting India's foreign secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar this morning," Sirisena tweeted.
During his visit, Jaishankar also called on Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.
Jaishankar met Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama, and officer senior Ministers as well as Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Esala Weerakoon.
He also interacted with a delegation from Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) and a delegation from Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC).
Jaishankar met with the leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Rauff Hakeem and leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Rishad Bathiudeen.

This was Jaishankar's second visit to Sri Lanka.
"Jaishankar reviewed the entire gamut of our bilateral relations, particularly Indian assisted economic projects and development particularly with Sri Lanka," a statement from the Indian High Commission in Colombo said.
In response to the drought situation in Sri Lanka, Jaishankar conveyed on behalf of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Foreign Affairs Minister Samaraweera that India would donate eight water bowsers and 100 metric tonnes of rice as immediate assistance, and was ready to provide further assistance as required.