Meeting between Menon, Rajapakse goes off well

Chennai, Nov 24: Foreign Secretary Shiv Shanker Menon today said his meeting with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse in Colombo to discuss the current situation and the large number of Tamil refugees moving to India following unrest, went off well.

Mr Menon, who returned here this morning after two-day visit to the Island Nation, told reporters at the airport that he had visited Sri Lanka on the directions of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to clarify the views of the Indian Government on the Tamils issue in that country.

The Foreign Secretary said he would meet Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Chief Secretary L K Tripati and others to apprise them of the outcome of his meeting. After getting Mr Karunanidhi's views, he would proceed to New Delhi and submit a report to Dr Singh.

The Lankan President is scheduled to visit India soon.

UNI