LTTE claims Indian stand on Lanka seeks rebels' role in talks

Taking note of India's support for a negotiated political settlement to the ethnic strife in Sri Lanka, a cornered LTTE claimed that New Delhi has taken a position that the rebels are 'a partner' in the peace talks.

Taking note of India's support for a negotiated political settlement to the ethnic strife in Sri Lanka, a cornered LTTE on Friday claimed that New Delhi has taken a position that the rebels are 'a partner' in the peace talks.

HT Image

The Tamil Tigers made the remarks a day after President Prathiba Patil told a joint sitting of Parliament that India continued to support a negotiated political settlement in Sri Lanka within the framework of an undivided Sri Lanka acceptable to all the communities, including the Tamil community.

Noting that Patil urged both Colombo and the Tamil Tigers to return to the negotiating table, the pro-LTTE Tamilnet website claimed that "India has also taken a position that the LTTE is a partner in the negotiations".

"The address of the President of India in the joint session of the Parliament is a declared official position of the Government of India," it said, claiming that the nuances of Indian position "have changed significantly." "Instead of silently allowing the continuation of war, the Government of India has asked the parties to return to the negotiating table." Indian government, the website said, "requests both parties to act simultaneously: Colombo to suspend military operations and the Tigers to declare their willingness to lay down arms, which allows room for both parties to actually end the war only after reaching a mutually accepted position in the political negotiations."