Sri Lankan government must fulfill Tamils’ demands: Indian foreign minister

The 77-year-old south Indian veteran politician and new foreign minister of India, S. M. Krishna, said the time has ripe for the Sri Lankan government to fulfill the demands of Tamils in Sri Lanka for ensuring lasting peace in the country.

S. M. Krishna has been appointed as India’s foreign minister by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Krishna said he wanted to make close cultural, economic and political ties with foreign countries, saying that he will do his best to further strengthen ties with India’s neighbouring countries.

He also further said he would want to visit neighbouring countries soon to get first-hand knowledge of the locals.

India was maintaining hands-off policy since LTTE was banned outfit in India and Pirapaharan and Pottu Amman were accused to the Rajiv killing. After the claim that the Sri Lankan government has killed them both, Tamils hope that India will play constructive and crucial role to end the ethnic conflict.

In the changed atmosphere, Indian foreign minister said Sri Lanka has the responsibility to fulfill Tamils’ grievances. He also said Sri Lanka should find negotiated settlement to the deeply rooted conflict and allow Tamils to live in their homeland with respect to all the rights enjoyed by their counterparts, Sinhalese.

Krishna, who succeeds veteran Congress politician Pranab Mukherjee, promises to bring to his new job administrative skills and expertise he displayed as chief minister (1999-2004) to transform Karnataka into an economic powerhouse.

Under his leadership, southern Indian state of Karnataka became economic powerhouse, especially in the IT sector and made Karnataka’s capital city Bangalore as the India’s silicon valley.