Japan asks India to co-chair Lanka peace process

New Delhi, May 11: Japan today invited India to join the Sri Lankan peace process and be part of the co-chairs at their next meeting to be held on the issue in Tokyo on May 30.

Japanese Special envoy on Sri Lankan peace process Yasushi Akashi met Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran here today and sought India's contribution at the meeting.

He briefed the Foreign Secretary on the latest situation in the island nation and gave his assessment on the peace process between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said.

''He (Mr Akashi) is keen that we make a contribution at the meeting...he briefed the Foreign Secretary on the peace process and his assessment of the ceasefire,'' the spokesman said.

The spokesman, however, did not elaborate on what was India's response or what would be the level of India's participation.

Japan had indicated earlier that at the May 30 meeting, procedural changes would be made to render participation easy for India.

Before coming to India, Mr Akashi was in Sri Lanka where he met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the LTTE leadership.

Japan is part of the four co-chairs for the Sri Lankan peace process. The other three members are the United States, the European Union and Norway.

UNI