Indian High Commissioner calls on Lankan FM

Colombo, Oct 17 (UNI) Amid series of protests in Tamil Nadu over the situation in Sri Lanka, Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad today met Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama here and 'conveyed' India's growing 'concerns' with regard to the war-like situation in north and east of Sri Lanka, a foreign ministry statement here said.

''High Commissioner Alok Prasad called on Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at the Foreign Ministry. The discussion was centered on current issues pertaining to Indo-Lanka bilateral relations in the context of developments in the North and the East of Sri Lanka,'' the Foreign Ministry statement said.

''Concerns being expressed in this regard in India were conveyed to Minister Bogollagama by the (Indian) High Commissioner,'' it said.

''Foreign Minister Bogollagama stated that Sri Lanka is fully conscious of the concerns being expressed in India and understand the context in which these matters are being raised,'' the statement said, adding that the Mr Bogollagama has ''assured that in the spirit of existing excellent bilateral relations, Sri Lanka intends to further discuss these issues bilaterally to address those concerns.'' ''It was indicated that the bilateral consultation process in this regard could continue at appropriate levels,''it said.

In the wake of the two-week ultimatum by 40 MPs in Tamil Nadu, India's Foreign Minister in a statement made yesterday, said India was ''particularly worried about the humanitarian effect of the continuing conflict on civilians who have been caught up in circumstances not of their making.'' ''It is essential that their rights be respected, that they be immune from attacks, and that food and other essential supplies be allowed to reach them,'' Mr Mukherjee said in the statement, cautioning that the Indian government would ''do all in its power to achieve this goal and to ameliorate the humanitarian conditions in Sri Lanka.'' UNI XC JT KN2200