India asks Sri Lanka to ensure the safety of Tamil civilians

New Delhi, Feb 6 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said though President Rajapakse has assured the safety of its civilians, but Colombo should make efforts to achieve the devolution and political solution to the decades-old ethnic conflict.

"Sri Lankan President has assured that there would be no shelling in the safe zone. We would also appeal to the LTTE people to allow the civilians to come to the safe zone and thereafter their safety, security shelter and other needs will be taken care of," Mukherjee said this while speaking to media persons here on Thursday.

"Ultimate solution of the Sri Lankan problem lies in the devolution arising out of the agreement of 1987 and the 13th amendment of Sri Lankan Constitution. I do hope abide by and the exercise will be made to achieve their devolution and political solution," he added.

It may be recalled that at least 700 civilians fled Sri Lanka's northern war zone to a government-controlled area on Thursday, the military said, a day after the United Nations said 52 people had been killed by shelling.

Fighting has continued as the Sri Lankan Army has closed in on the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) holding out in a 300 square kilometres slice of jungle in the northeast.

The United Nations said on Wednesday at least 52 people were killed and 80 wounded by shelling in the war zone as the United States and Britain urged a ceasefire in Sri Lanka to evacuate casualties and allow relief into the war zone. (ANI)