Tamil Nadu Government today gave its nod for Sri Lanka's proposal for holding the next round of fishermen level talks in Colombo on May 12 and 13 on the contentious issue of fishing rights in Palk Straits. 

 

State Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Secretary S Vijayakumar has informed the Union Government that the talks could be held as indicated by Sri Lanka. 

 

"I request you to kindly convey to the Sri Lankan side that the meeting of the fishermen can be hosted in Colombo on May 12 and 13," he said in a communication to Suchitra Durai, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, responding to a April 11 communication. 

 

Fishermen, who participated in the earlier talks held on January 27 in Chenani, including a delegate from Puducherry, will participate besides top state government officials in the Colombo meeting, it was indicated. 

 

The second round of talks between fishermen of Tamil Nadu and Srilanka was scheduled for March 13 in Colombo which was later postponed to March 25. However, that was also cancelled later. 

 

Yesterday, senior Congress leader and Union Minister G K Vasan alleged the AIADMK Government had "sabotaged" the second round of talks though the Centre wanted to find a solution to the problem.(PTI)