India will "wait and see" Lanka's steps on devolution package

Chennai, Mar 25 (PTI) India will "wait and see what
steps are actually taken" by Sri Lankan government to
implement a power devolution package that would fully satisfy
the island's Tamils in view of President Mahinda Rajapaksa
recently expressing his commitment in this regard.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a reply to a
letter by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on the
Lankan Tamils issue, noted that Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa
had said that steps to work out a devolution package were
being initiated immediately.

"We may wait and see what steps are actually taken," he
said.

Singh said during discussions with Sri Lanka, India had
consistently proposed a temporary cessation of hostilities
which could be utilised to facilitate movement of the Tamil
population out of war zone to safety areas and proper
rehabilitation facilities could be arranged.

India had urged the Sri Lankan Government to fulfil
its commitments to the Tamil population in Sri Lanka and
come up with a proper devolution of powers to the provinces in
that country, the Prime Minister said.

"We have indicated that this should also include
assurances of equality and equal rights for Tamils, as is the
case for other citizens of Sri Lanka," he said in the letter,
a copy of which was released to media by the Tamil Nadu
government Wednesday. PTI SR
DEP
NNNN