SL President to visit India

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 May 2005, 17:49 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge is expected to pay a two-day official visit to India from Saturday May 14th. She will hold talks with leaders of the Indian government on the proposed joint mechanism with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), government sources said.

Ms Kumaratunge is expected to return in time to participate as the chief guest at the inaugural session of the Sri Lanka Development Forum, which is scheduled to commence in Kandy on May 16th, government sources said.

Her visit to New Delhi takes place following an invitation extended by the Indian Foreign Secretary Mr.Shyam Saran when the latter paid a visit to Sri Lanka last week.

Mr.Saran visited Trincomalee, Kandy and Colombo during his stay in Sri Lanka and held discussions with Sri Lankan government leaders in Colombo. He also met with the parliamentary delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Meanwhile, media reports said Indian Foreign Minister Mr.Natwar Singh is due to visit Sri Lanka on June 9 to hold bilateral talks with Sri Lankan government leaders.