Lankan daily shower praise on Krishna over Kachchathivu

Colombo, Aug 31 (PTI) A leading Sri Lankan daily on
Wednesday praised External affairs minister S M Krishna, days
after he said Kachchathivu islet was Lankan territory and the
Indian fishermen had no right to do fishing there.
With an editorial captioned "Let's pay tribute to India
for reconfirming Sri Lanka's hold on Kachchathivu",
'Lankadeepa', one of largest Sinhala language daily said, "Sri
Lanka ought to express its happiness and praise to
the Indian minister for such a diplomatic statement".
Referring to the Indo-Sri Lanka agreements in 1974 and
1976, Krishna had said in Lok Sabha (lower house of
Parliament) recently that Kachchativu Island lies on the Sri
Lankan side of the maritime boundary.
He had said Indian fishermen have access to visit the
"Island for rest, for drying of nets and for the annual St
Anthony's Festival, and that the rights do not cover fishing
around Kachchativu Island".
Lankadeepa opines that Krishna's comments over
Kachchathivu was a reflection of how New Delhi valued the
friendly relations with its southern neighbour.
Sri Lankan leaders need to reciprocate such friendly
gestures with appropriate responses, the paper says.