Lanka in N-talks with Pak after India’s UN vote snub

Jayanth Jacob, Hindustan Times  New Delhi, July 14, 2013

In an apparent tit for tat, Sri Lanka is moving in the direction of a nuclear pact with Pakistan after India voted against it at the UN this year.

At the same time, it is dragging its feet on a similar pact with India by not scheduling talks despite Delhi’s keenness to conclude the agreement soon.

India had offered Sri Lanka a comprehensive nuclear pact  that would deal with all aspects of civil nuclear cooperation, including safety and training of professionals. One round of talks was held in October last year, and India also sent the southern country a draft pact.

But since then, Delhi has been waiting for a Lankan response on dates for further talks. Official sources said, “We are yet to hear from them,” despite offering a “comprehensive pact”.

Meanwhile, sources said foreign secretary-level talks between Sri Lanka and Pakistan have identified civil nuclear technology as a major area of cooperation.

Statements made by Lankan authorities show their intent to negotiate nuclear deals with both India and Pakistan, sources said.

Sri Lanka’s overtures to Pakistan are of concern to India, which sees its western neighbour as a country “with dubious non-proliferation records”. It also has issues with Colombo overlooking its intention to give it the best possible deal. The second vote against Sri Lanka on the Tamil issue at the UN human rights council in March this year upset the country.

Of the 25 countries that voted against Sri Lanka, only India and South Korea were from Asia. Thirteen members, including Pakistan and China, voted against the resolution and eight abstained. India had voted against Sri Lanka in 2012 as well.

SC NOTICE TO INDIAN GOVT ON RECLAIMING KATCHATHEEVU

July 15, 2013 

The Supreme Court of India Monday issued notice to the central government on a petition by DMK chief M. Karunanidhi seeking the reclaiming of the Katchatheevu Island whose control India conceded to Sri Lanka in the 1970s.

The petition also sought the restoration of fishing rights of Tamil fishermen hailing from Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts near Katchatheevu Island.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, Justice F.M.I. Kalifulla and Justice Vikramajit Sen issued the notice on the petition which sought the declaration of two agreement of June 1974 and March 1976 by which India gave Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka as unconstitutional.

Karunanidhi urged the court to direct the government to reclaim the island as a part of Tamil Nadu and an integral part of India.

Katchatheevu Island located about 10 miles northeast of Rameswaram is an uninhabited area. Ever since the control of Katchatheevu Island was given to Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu fishermen were deprived of fishing in the area.

The fishermen from Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts were using Katchatheevu Island during their fishing activities for drying nets and resting.

The petition urged the court to direct the government to compensate the fishermen who lost their lives and property in the course of attack on them by Sri Lanka.

The DMK leader said the conceding of the control of the Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka was “unconstitutional”. - IANS