Menon
calls for elections to the Northern PC
Indo-Lanka ties under heavy strain;
National Security Advisor holds crucial talks with Rajapaksa
trio
UNP also calls for early polls to NPC; Sampanthan challenges Govt.'s reasons for delay
Lanka prepares report for November UNHRC review, Govt.'s action will shape India's stance
By Our Political
Editor Sunday,
July 01, 2012
Indo-Lanka ties under heavy strain;
National Security Advisor holds crucial talks with Rajapaksa
trioUNP also calls for early polls to NPC; Sampanthan challenges Govt.'s reasons for delay
Lanka prepares report for November UNHRC review, Govt.'s action will shape India's stance
It
was past midnight signalling the dawn of Friday when the voice on the radio
crackled. “Good morning Colombo Airways. This is Bravo Juliet 135,” said the
Indian Air Force pilot from the cockpit of a Brazilian-built Embraer 135 jet.
The radio contact with the incoming aircraft from New Delhi was handed over to
Colombo Radar and thereafter to Air Traffic Controllers at the Bandaranaike
International Airport. Later, ground controllers took over to park the jet on
the apron. Some distance away a fleet of vehicles including armed escorts were
on standby for a quick drive to Colombo.
Alighting
from the aircraft was Shiv Shankar Menon, India’s National Security Advisor, an
official who holds cabinet rank and plays a strategic role in day-to-day affairs
of the Congress-led government in New Delhi. Indian High Commissioner Ashok
Kantha and officials of the protocol division of the Ministry of External
Affairs shook hands with the visitor. Immediately thereafter, he was whisked
away to the Taj Samudra Hotel overlooking the Galle Face Green. Hours later, as
the Sun’s rays enveloped Colombo, Menon, a former envoy to Sri Lanka and one
time Foreign Secretary, embarked on a chapter that is easily one of the most
critical phases in Indo-Sri Lanka relations.
As
exclusively revealed in The Sunday Times last week, Menon’s mission was to
convey to the government in “the strongest terms” New Delhi’s concerns over a
string of important issues. His meetings in Colombo originally listed for
one-on-one dialogues with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary
Gotabaya Rajapaksa were to later extend to at least two others — talks with
Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and a briefing to Rajavarothayam
Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Front (TNA).
