Foreign Ministry to research Tamil Nadu politics

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 September 1999, 15:47 GMT]
Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to soon set up a research unit that will work on policy making, new geopolitical developments, regional and international bodies. The unit will specially research analyse and report on the effects of the political dynamics of Tamil Nadu, the south Indian State which is home to about 60 million ethnic Tamils.

This unit will be established at the cost of 3.35 million rupees. The proposal for this unit was submitted by the Sri Lanka's foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and was approved by the cabinet yesterday.

A communiqué put out by the Government Department of Information says:

"On recommendation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar the Cabinet approved the establishment of Foreign Ministry Research Unit (FOMRU) to engage in research activities relating to Foreign policy and international relations with a view to providing data and inputs to the diplomats service and policy makers. This unit will also closely study and monitor new developments in the spheres (sic) of international relations. The activities of inter-governmental organisation such as WTO, and regional arrangement such as SAFTA, SAPTA, IORARC, APEC, ASEAN will also be subject to its monitoring.

The changing political dynamics of Tamil Nadu and its possible impacts on the ongoing conflict will also be closely studied by the proposed unit".