Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked Sri Lanka to expeditiously return Indian fishermen while emphasising the need to treat this as a humanitarian issue, a day after that country ruled out their early repatriation.
This was conveyed by Singh to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G L Peiris, who handed over a letter of invitation for CHOGM Summit to be held in Colombo in mid-November to the Prime Minister. Singh thanked him for the gesture.
"Prime Minister emphasised the need for expeditious return of Indian fishermen as has been the process followed by both sides in the recent past. He emphasised the need to treat this as a humanitarian issue," official sources said.
Recently, Sri Lankan High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam was also summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs and issued a formal demarche on the issue of Indian fishermen languishing in Sri Lanka's jails for months.
Peiris had yesterday said Indian fishermen taking away resources was very "disquieting" and his government was under strong pressure to stop it. Therefore, it had become important to come up with a strong deterrent and at least resorting to judicial process, he had added.
According to officials sources, "discussing issues related to the Northern Provincial Council elections in Sri Lanka, Singh mentioned that he was happy to note of the forthcoming elections. This would promote the cause of reconciliation and he hoped that the elections would be free, fair and credible."
On his part, Peiris said that there was a vigorous election campaign underway and there were 350 candidates from nine political parties contesting.
