Kachchativu issue not discussed

(August 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh avoided the controversial issue of Kachchativu island in his bilateral talks with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the sidelines of the SAARC summit here on Friday.

Asked if the issue was discussed, a top Sri Lankan official told Express, “No it was not.” Even External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee did not raise it in his talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama on Thursday.

Following a series of serious attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had asked the Prime Minister to take up the issue with the Sri Lankan government. - Sri Lanka Guardian