LTTE attacking Indian fishermen, not Lankan Govt: SL Minister

Madurai, Mar 21 (UNI) Sri Lankan Minister for Highways Jayaraj Fernando today said the frequent attacks on Indian fishermen at the mid sea were carried out by the banned LTTE and not by the Lankan Navy.

In an informal chat with the mediapersons here, he said it was only the LTTE, who attacked Indian fishermen. But they put the blame on Sri Lankan Navy to tarnish the image of Sri Lankan Government.

He said the Sri Lankan Government was keen on national integration within the island nation and not for any partition. ''We will not allow disintegration of the nation,'' he asserted.

He said the Sri Lankan Government was always ready for settling the ethnic issue through peaceful negotiations but the LTTE did not believe in these talks and instead they wanted to create problems in the island nation.

Citing an example, he said during the Geneva talks in 2006, while representing the island nation, he himself witnessed the non- cooperation of the LTTE.

He said the Indian Government, being fully aware of the activities of LTTE, was extending full support to the Sri Lankan Government on the issue.

UNI GSM SB AS1921