“We have to live together- must help each other,” PM Modi tells Sri Lanka
By Janaka Alahapperuma
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday morning (27 Sep) held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which key issues, including bilateral, political and regional, was discussed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York.
This was the second meeting between the two leaders after Narendra Modi was sworn in on May 26 this year. Both leaders had earlier met in New Delhi after President Rajapaksa travelled to India to attend Prime Minister Modi's swearing-in ceremony.
This was the second meeting between the two leaders after Narendra Modi was sworn in on May 26 this year. Both leaders had earlier met in New Delhi after President Rajapaksa travelled to India to attend Prime Minister Modi's swearing-in ceremony.
In a cordial discussion, the two leaders spoke about a range of matters of mutual interest and agreed to work towards further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
During the discussions, the Indian leader acknowledged the importance of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) process in relation to the recent meeting Prime Minister Modi had with the representatives of the Sri Lanka’s Tamil National Alliance. In his response, President Rajapaksa explained to the Indian premier that the Sri Lankan Government has always been ready to engage in talks with all political parties, including the TNA, for which a mechanism has been established in terms of the PSC.
The President also briefed the Prime Minister on the ways in which the Government is assisting the Northern Province, particularly with the financial resources in the amount of Rs. 1.5 billion that has been made available in this year’s budget and the huge progress has been achieved in the reconstruction, reconciliation, re-building and development process in the North and East Provinces within a short span of time.
On the issue of fishermen, both leaders agreed that the matters must be handled carefully since there are sensitivities among all concerned parties. President Rajapaksa reiterated his concerns about the practice of bottom trawling which is an illegal practice worldwide. The President explained that Sri Lankan fishermen in the North perceive it as unjust if Indian fishermen are permitted to carry out bottom-trawling techniques as the biggest problem while it is banned for Sri Lankan fishermen. The President also noted that bottom- trawling is creating permanent damage to the sea bed and resources in the Indian Ocean. The Prime Minister had also expressed interest in early launch of the 500 MW Sampur coal power project and greater connectivity between the two countries.
President Rajapaksa also thanked Prime Minister Modi for India’s support and constructive initiatives at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.
In response, Prime Minister Modi replied: “We have to live together, so we must help each other”.
Just after emerging from the over 30 minute-long meeting, President Rajapaksa said that meeting was cordial, good and talked about various issues but nothing about expeditious implementation of the 13th Amendment.
Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Nimal Siripala de Silva, Monitoring MP of the Ministry of External Affairs Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Mrs. Kshenuka Senewiratne, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Major General Shavendra Silva and the members of the Indian delegation were also present.
Pix by: Sudath Silva
