India's role in the peace process in the Sri Lanka was "indispensable" for resolving the decades-long ethnic strife in the Island republic, its former Constitutional Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris said on Saturday.
CHENNAI: India's role in the peace process in the Sri Lanka was "indispensable" for resolving the decades-long ethnic strife in the Island republic, its former Constitutional Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris said on Saturday.
Addressing a meeting here organised by Observer Research Foundation (ORF), he said this was very much needed especially at a juncture when two major parties Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and its archrival United National Party (UNP) were on the threshold of inking a pact for a common minimum programme.
"We would like India to play a much more vigorous role. Of course there are constraints and inhibitions, but it is still possible for India to play a meaningful and proactive role," he said while delving on the topic 'Peace Process: Issues and Challenges'.
He said when a SLFP-UNP Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was on cards shortly, "we are sure the CMP will remove some of the inhibitions and open a new vista for greater involvement of India."
Replying to a question on how the new CMP will help restore peace in the Island nation, Peiris said it was the paramount duty of the state to involve military against terrorism, but at the same time the grievances of people had to be tackled politically.
"The sheet-anchor of a political solution has to be within the framework of Sri Lanka. Certain areas like monetary policy, foreign affairs, defence or security, budget, shipping and navigation and aviation will be in the hands of the centre. All other matters could be devolved," he said.
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