India calls for political consensus in Lanka, condemns terrorism

New Delhi, June 26 (UNI) India today reaffirmed its determination to stand by Sri Lankan people in the fight against terrorism and stressed the need for activating the political process through sincere dialogue to arrive at a settlement.

Welcoming the efforts being made by Sri Lanka to arrive at a political consensus, India said it was ready to share its constitutional experience to contribute to this process.

While ''unreservedly'' condemning the terrorist bombing in Sri Lanka in which the island nation's Deputy Army Chief and other defence personnel were killed and several others wounded, a spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry said the incident was the latest in a series of recent terrorist attacks aimed at undermining the ceasefire and vitiating the environment for a political dialogue.

''...India is determined to stand by the people of Sri Lanka in our common struggle against terrorism of which both our countries are victims...It is our view that political process must be activated through sincere dialogue to arive at a settlement which takes into account the aspirations of all sections of the Sri Lankan society, while upholding the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka,''the spokesman said.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera who was here last week and met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, assured him that despite the grave provocations and violations by the LTTE, Colombo was observing the cease fire agreement.

He reaffirmed that the Sri Lankan Government was committed to a negotiated political solution of the ethnic problem.

Mr Samaraweera, who held an hour-long meeting with the Prime Minister, apprised him of the latest political situation as well as the progress in the peace process.

He said several developments had taken place after his last visit to New Delhi in May, which ''regrettably have not been conducive to the peace process.'' UNI RB MSJ RK1900