PM convenes special meet to discuss Lanka situation

New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh convened a special meeting Wednesday to discuss the
evolving situation in Sri Lanka where troops have launched a
"final assault" against LTTE.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, National
Security Advisor M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary
Shivshankar Menon are expected to attend the meeting.

The meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of
Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapaksa deciding to send a
special emissary to India to discuss relief and rehabilitation
measures for people who crossed over to safe zones which is
estimated to be over one lakh.

The President is sending his special advisor and
brother Basil Rajapaksa to discuss the humanitarian
situation, as leaders in Tamil Nadu are pressuring that India
prevail upon the island nation to declare a ceasefire.

The meeting comes a day ahead of the general strike
called by ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu tomorrow on the Lankan
Tamils issue.

Worried over the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka's
north, India has said the continuation of "precipitate
military actions" leading to further civilian casualties were
"unacceptable" and asked Colombo to extend the "pause" in
hostilities.

New Delhi is concerned over the innocent civilians
being trapped in LTTE held areas becoming victims in the
ongoing military offensive.PTI