New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid visits Sri Lanka today and tomorrow when he is to take up the issue of Indian fishermen arrested by their navy.
This will be Khurshid’s first visit to Sri Lanka since taking office last year. His predecessor S M Krishna had visited Sri Lanka in January 2012. Khurshid will hold talks with his counterpart G L Peiris. “Issues relating to fishermen are likely to be a major focus of discussions as the number of Indian fishermen arrested so far in 2013 exceeds the annual numbers during the last year (2012),” said an official source.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has been repeatedly urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to put pressure on Sri Lanka to release fishermen from her state in Sri Lankan custody.
“India has been attaching high priority to the welfare, safety and security of fishermen and has been emphasizing on the need to address the issue in a humanitarian manner,” the source added.
Talks between the two sides are also likely to encompass trade, investment and development cooperation as well as “address issues relating to the Sampur Thermal Power Project and aspects of Indian technical assistance to Sri Lanka”.
The 500 MW Sampur power project, located in Trincomalee, is being jointly developed by state-owned NTPC with Ceylon Electricity Board.
The two countries had signed an agreement in 2011 to set up a coal-based power project, but it got delayed. Electricity generated from the plant, which would have two units of 250 MW, would be supplied to CEB.
Khurshid is expected to call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa and also meet leaders from across the spectrum of the Sri Lankan polity and pay his respects at the IPKF Memorial. IANS
