Lankan President visiting Delhi next week

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to visit New Delhi next week when India hopes to carry forward the dialogue on rehabilitation of Tamils displaced in the war between the Lankan army and LTTE, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said on Friday.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to visit New Delhi next week when India hopes to carry forward the dialogue on rehabilitation of Tamils displaced in the war between the Lankan army and LTTE, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said on Friday.

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"We are expecting the Sri Lankan President to visit Delhi next week to carry the dialogue forward", he told reporters in Bangalore.

"The crisis has just ended. The process of rehabilitation (of displaced Tamils) has just started. It is a gigantic task of rehabilitating thousands of displaced persons, overwhelming majority of which are Tamil-speaking people",Krishna said.

Krishna , who hails from Karnataka, was given a rousing reception by his supporters on his maiden visit to the city after assuming charge.

Foreign Secretary Shivshanker Menon and National Security Adviser M K Narayanan had met Rajapaksa recently during which "certain assurances have been given to them", Krishna said.
Krishna ruled out the need for India to take a "re-look" at its foreign policy with Nepal with which the country has strong relations.

"There is no question of a re-look. We have very friendly relations with Nepal.", he said adding "our relationship with Nepal is on a very solid foundation".

India is also looking forward to the visit of US State Secretary Hillary Clinton next month, Krishna said.

"A number of issues will be taken on bilateral basis with the US Secretary of State", he said.