Karunanidhi calls for an all-party meet to discuss Sri Lanka situation

Chennai, Nov 24 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Monday said that he has called for an all party meet on Tuesday to discuss Sri Lanka situation.

He said that an all-party meeting has been called on Tuesday to discuss the worsening situation of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

"All party assembly leaders meeting will give more strength to express their views and opinions. This will help to find better solutions. Tamils were pained by the treatment meted out to the Sri Lankan Tamils. All the leaders of different parties will meet on Tuesday.........and we expect the parties will reciprocate in right earnest," said arunanidhi.

He further added that invitations have been sent to leaders of all parties, including Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) head Vaiko.

The MDMK has been demanding that Sri Lanka ensure that no member of the minority Tamil community in the country is killed during military action against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

LTTE supporters in India say the government gives weapons to Sri Lanka, but New Delhi says it only provides non-lethal equipment.

Diplomats say it also provides intelligence that has helped Sri Lanka to intercept Tiger boats.

Sri Lanakan President Mahinda Rajapakse ruled out any possibility of ceasefire till the rebels laid down Arms on November 13 in New Delhi.

The Tigers say they are fighting to establish a separate homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority, which has complained of marginalisation by successive governments led by the Sinhalese majority since independence from Britain in 1948.

But the Sri Lankan Government says the rebels must be destroyed, because they are on a host of terrorism lists including those from the United States, India and Europe, and adds that it is increasingly confident of defeating them soon.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has ruled out any Indian involvement in solving the conflict, which the government says must be solved through dialogue.

ANI