Khurshid will attend CHOGM

27 October 2013 02:35 am - 9 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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India's External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will represent India at the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) summit, though the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging boycott of the meeting because of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.

In a television interview, Mr. Khurshid confirmed his participation in next month’s meeting; but there is still a question mark over who among the three VVIPs will attend the summit: President Pranab Mukherjee; Prime Minister Manmohan Singh; or Vice-President Hamid Ansari. Or whether Mr. Khurshid himself will lead the Indian delegation.

However, government sources said India was unlikely to follow Canada, which has decided to go unrepresented at the meeting on the grounds that Sri Lanka has not done enough to address allegations of human rights abuses by its security forces during the war against the LTTE. “I can say I will be there. The issue of Sri Lankan Tamils remains important to us,” Mr. Khurshid told Times Now. Asked whether the Prime Minister would go to Colombo, Mr. Khurshid said a decision would be taken at the right time.

Mr. Khurshid indicated the thinking in South Block over India’s participation at the meeting, pointing out that it was not a bilateral meeting but a multilateral forum. India’s absence would be conspicuous. “By not engaging with Sri Lanka, India will be losing out. Even if it means raising…the Tamil fishermen issue. How can India do it without engaging?”

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris expressed his country’s preference for India to be represented by Dr. Singh when he visited New Delhi in August to hand over the invitation. He denied the charge that Sri Lanka lagged in rehabilitation and resettlement, arguing that Colombo’s record was far better than that of some post-conflict societies such as Cambodia and the former Yugoslavia.

The sources also dropped several other hints on India’s preference. The first is the recent election, with enthusiastic participation, in the Northern Province. New Delhi would like other interested parties to give the Tamil National Alliance Government (TNA) space to negotiate greater political autonomy with Colombo. This was hinted at by Mr. Khurshid too. “The TNA swept [the polls]. There needs to be an acknowledgement of that.”

The second is Mr. Khurshid’s visit to Jaffna earlier this month. There, he reviewed the work being done by Sri Lanka with considerable outside assistance, including India’s, in a host of areas to normalise the situation. An about-turn by India after Mr. Khurshid’s conditional endorsement of the resettlement being done might not appear consistent, the sources said, especially after he had said India would work with Sri Lanka for a lasting political solution.(The Hindu)

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Comments - 9

ANTON Sunday, 27 October 2013 03:39 AM

YEP, SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. MAKE SURE HE IS PROPERLY INSURED.

Karu Sunday, 27 October 2013 03:44 AM

who care about Shid(t) ?

Nishantha Sunday, 27 October 2013 05:52 AM

Your nation was responsible for terrorism here. Now you want to rub salt on the wounds using a frivolous excuse.

Narada Sunday, 27 October 2013 06:34 AM

It should be changed " Your nation was responsible for terrorism of most parts of the South Asia and in India".

Clueless Sunday, 27 October 2013 10:42 AM

I don't think too many people are interested in whether India participates or not. As far as the Sri Lankan issue is concerned India has always got the wrong end of the stick. No surprises

neutral man Sunday, 27 October 2013 02:13 PM

Don't listen to road poopers come and feel the greatest hospitality on earth..

Saskia Monday, 28 October 2013 10:24 AM

Your hospitality = Killing boy friend and raping girl friend.

Suq Madique Tuesday, 29 October 2013 05:02 AM

Isolated incident......these things happen everywhere.

Saskia Tuesday, 29 October 2013 08:39 AM

In other countries they have a good juridical system to punish killers but, in SL the juridical system is in the hands of government and they only punish whoever they don't like. Don't compare the SL to other real democratic countries.

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Khurshid will attend CHOGM

Comments - 9

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