India urges Rajapaksa to "seize opportunity to resume talks"

Colombo, Sep 13 (UNI) Finance Minister P Chidambaram today urged Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa "to seize the opportunity to resume talks" with the Tamil Tiger rebels.

'' I read in the papers that there is a likelihood of talks (with LTTE) resuming. So, I urged him to seize the opportunity," Mr Chidambaram told reporters minutes after his meeting with Mr Rajapaksa at his Temple Tress residence here.

The Indian Finance Minister was referring to the statement issued by the Co-Chairs of Sri Lanka's international donor community, which in a statement following the review meeting at Brussels yesterday, said the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels have agreed for "unconditional resumption of talks in the first week of October in Oslo.

Replying to a query whether the issue of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees' influx to Tamil Nadu was taken up with the Sri Lankan President, Mr Chidambaram said he did express his 'concern' to the President.

"It (refugee influx) is the fallout of the conflict. When talks will resume, I think the flow of refugees will also stop," Mr Chidambaram said.

The Co-Chairs, comprising the US, EU, Japan and Norway said they were "deeply alarmed by the recent deliberate violations of the ceasefire agreement by both the parties" and urged them to immediately halt the spiraling violence that had claimed the lives of at least 1,500 people during the past few months.

"These have escalated violence and resulted in massive and widespread human suffering, including the abuse of human rights, the displacement of innocent citizens, a humanitarian crisis and an exodus of refugees to India," the Co-Chairs statement said.

"Failure to cease hostilities, pursue a political solution, respect human rights and protect humanitarian space could lead the international community to diminish its support,'' the statement stated.

UNI XC SAM RP DS1515