Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has reiterated that he sees no reason to reopen discussions with India on the Katchatheevu Island that was “closed a long time ago” through talks between the two countries.
While speaking to ANI on May 20, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister said, “If you look at it carefully, these are the issues which we have discussed and concluded a long time ago with country-to-country talks. I do not see a necessity to recommence it.”
Further, he clarified that the comments on the Katchatheevu Island are not intended to restart discussions, but rather to check whether or not the past deliberations were conducted properly.
“If you look at it carefully, none of the comments on the issue were made to recommence anything. They are trying to find out whether the deliberation at that time was carried out properly or not, based on domestic political needs,” Ali Sabry told ANI.
The island, located between Rameswaram (India) and Sri Lanka, was traditionally used by both Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen. In 1974, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory under the “Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement”.
The 1974 Agreement regarding historic waters between Sri Lanka and India in the Palk Strait and the Palk Bay formally confirmed Sri Lanka’s sovereignty over the island.
A month ago, PM Narendra Modi accused the Congress of “callously” giving away the island to Sri Lanka during the tenure of the Indira Gandhi Government and stated that this infuriated people and added that the Congress could never be trusted.
“There was an island under the sea in Tamil Nadu, but the Congress gave it to Sri Lanka and now when our fishermen venture into that area by mistake, they are arrested. Can this Congress ever protect our land when it gave our Katchatheevu to another country,” the PM said earlier.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan foreign minister has affirmed his country’s commitment to safeguarding India’s national security interests. Adding that as a responsible neighbour, Sri Lanka will not permit anyone to compromise India’s security.
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The Minister also addressed India’s concerns regarding the visits of Chinese research vessels to Sri Lanka nation, saying that they would like to work with other countries in a transparent manner but not at the cost of others.
“We have very clearly stated that we would like to work with all countries, but any reasonable concerns regarding Indian security will be taken into note, and we will not allow anyone to harm that. Subject to that, of course, in a very transparent manner, we would like to work with all countries,” the Minister said.
(with inputs from ANI)
