Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to brief the leadership here about the post-war political reconciliation plan for Tamils during his visit, which will also see inking of pacts to deepen ties in key areas, including counter-terrorism. Rajapaksa, who arrived here today on a four-day visit, will hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow during which the two leaders are expected to discuss steps taken for early resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced Tamils and ways to enhance cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.
Rajapaksa, who is visiting India after his sweeping electoral victories, also met the Pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA) hours before his departure.
The political situation in the post-war scenario, particularly the issues related to re-settlement of the displaced Tamil civilians, and efforts by the government to find a consensus on a political solution to the ethnic conflict are expected to dominate the parleys between Singh and Sri Lankan President.
India is expected to press for an expeditious resettlement of estimated 70,000 displaced Tamils, who are still in relief camps even after a year of Sri Lankan army crushing the insurgency led by LTTE. Although it had promised to resettle all 300,000 war displaced within six months of defeating the LTTE, the deadline has been extended by August by Rajapaksa government for closure of relief camps housing the refugees. The two leaders are also expected to take up the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to give boost to the economic ties between the two countries.
The agreements are likely to be in the areas of counter terrorism, transfer of sentenced prisoners, and for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. Rajapaksa will also go to Shimla on Thursday before returning to Colombo on Friday.
