'India should be involved in SL-LTTE talks'

India should directly involve itself in the peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Upcountry Tamils Front of Sri Lanka, a party of Sri Lankan Tamils of Indian origin, has said.

The party's president and Sri Lankan parliamentarian, P Chandrasekaran, told reporters in Chennai late Saturday night that India, which had close cultural and ethnic relationship with Sri Lanka, should not shirk from its 'responsibility of finding a solution to the ethnic strife in the island republic'.

When Norway, which had no stakes in Sri Lanka, engaged itself in the peace talks there, why should not India, which was the closest neighbour of Sri Lanka, involve itself in the peace process, Chandrasekaran, a former Sri Lankan minister, asked.

It was unfortunate that the Indian government and leaders of political parties in Tamil Nadu had not evinced interest in the sufferings of Sri Lankan Tamils after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, he said.

He claimed that the LTTE would welcome any initiative taken by the Indian government to solve the ethnic strife in his country.

Chandrasekaran, during his brief visit to the country, had called on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President M Karunanidhi, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief

Vaiko and Pattali Makkal Katchi founder Dr S Ramadoss to apprise them of the recent happenings in Sri Lanka.

He said Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse 'would not be able to solve the Sri Lankan Tamils problems as he was totally dependent on Singhalese chauvinist' forces like JVP, which had opposed even the accepted concept of Tamils homeland in the island, he said.