Date:12/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051206571400.htm

National

Akashi meets Narayanan, Saran

Diplomatic Correspondent

Asks India to contribute to the co-chairs process on Sri Lanka

Yasushi Akashi

NEW DELHI: Yasushi Akashi, Japan's special envoy for the Sri Lankan peace process, on Thursday met National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and gave them his assessment of the situation in the island nation.

"India must contribute"

During his meetings, Mr. Akashi said he would like India to contribute, in whatever way it felt comfortable, to the co-chairs process on Sri Lanka. Japan, Norway, the European Union and the United States constitute the four co-chairs. They will have their next meeting in Tokyo at May-end.

According to official sources, India gave no commitment on the request. So far, New Delhi has refrained from getting directly involved in the Sri Lankan peace process. It believes that there has been the "good and the bad" in the co-chairs process which has been in existence since 2003.

The External Affairs Ministry spokesman told presspersons that Mr. Akashi had briefed Mr. Saran about his talks with the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.