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India firm on demand for extradition of Prabakaran, says Sinha

By V.S. Sambandan

The External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, with the Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, in Colombo on Friday. — Photo: Sriyantha Walpola

COLOMBO July 12. There is "no contradiction'' in India's demand for extradition of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief, V. Prabakaran, and its support for the Sri Lankan peace process, the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, said here today.

Mr. Sinha, who had "reaffirmed India's full support'' to the measures taken by Sri Lanka "to take the peace process forward'' during his meetings with Sri Lankan leaders, told journalists this evening that New Delhi's position on extradition had been "clearly stated from time to time and the Government of Sri Lanka is aware of it.''

Asked whether these two positions were not contradictory, the Minister said, "No. I don't seen any contradiction because we have our laws to observe and there is a peace process here.''

On June 3, 1995, India had sought the extradition of Mr. Prabakaran, Pottu Amman, LTTE's intelligence chief and Akila, deputy chief of the LTTE's women's intelligence wing, to stand trial in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs forwarded the request to the Defence Ministry, which was sent to the Attorney General of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan position was that they could not apprehend the rebel chief. Mr. Sinha saw "no reason to be disappointed'' at the delays in the peace talks and counselled "patience'' to all the parties involved in the Norwegian-facilitated peace process. "Despite difficulties, the agreement, by and large, is operational,'' he said.

Asked about the "de-facto control'' over the north and east and the reported "violation of human rights'' by the LTTE, he said that was "a delicate issue.'' There were monitors headed by a third party to observe the ceasefire and the issue of a `de-facto Tamil Eelam' was to be looked in to by the two sides involved in the conflict. "If we have views, we will give it to those who can implement it.''

Meets Chandrika

Earlier in the day, Mr. Sinha met the Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, and discussed "matters of bilateral interest.'' According to the Presidential Secretariat, Ms. Kumaratunga "reiterated the need to commence direct peace talks with the LTTE at the earliest to reach a lasting and durable negotiated political settlement''. The Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister, Tyronne Fernando, the President's Foreign Affairs Advisor, Lakshman Kadirgamar, were present at the hour-long meeting.

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