Basil to New Delhi for talks on 13A

Wednesday, 3 July 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa will travel to New Delhi later this week as pressure mounts from India over the Government’s moves to dilute the powers of the provincial councils ahead of the Northern provincial elections. Minister Rajapaksa will act as President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s special envoy to brief Indian officials of Colombo’s attempts to change provisions of the 13th Amendment to the constitution, Indian media reports said yesterday. Minister Rajapaksa will depart for New Delhi on 4 July. During his visit, Minister Rajapaksa will hold talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, the Press Trust of India reported. The Ministerial visit follows a series of meetings held by Indian officials in New Delhi with a visiting six member delegation of the Tamil National Alliance. Since the visit, the TNA has announced that it will not participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee convened by the Government, saying it was merely an attempt to slash the powers of the provincial councils. The PSC is scheduled to meet for the first time on 9 July, coinciding with a visit to Colombo by Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon who is also expected to address the issue of 13A with President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Analysts claim President Rajapaksa’s plans to amend the 13A have been shelved until the Northern election is concluded as a result of heavy pressure from New Delhi.

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