| President
Mahinda Rajapaksa is due to have a series of important
meetings with India leaders in New Delhi today (Nov.
28) and tomorrow (29).
He returned to New Delhi yesterday
(27) after a busy schedule at Dehradun, where he was
the Chief Guest at the First Asian Mayors' Conference;
and, later laid the Foundation stone for the Indo -
Sri Lanka Human Rights Centre for the South Asia at
the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra.
The streets of Dehradun were decorated
to welcome President Rajapaksa. There were many hoardings
announcing a welcome and greetings to the Sri Lankan
President. People lined the route of the President's
motorcade.
His busy schedule today (Nov 28)
includes meetings with the Indian Foreign Minister Pranabh
Mukherjee; the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha,
and leader of the BJP, Mr. L. K. Adavani; and the Leader
of the Congress Party and the ruling United Progress
Alliance, Shrimathi Sonia Gandhi.
All three of them will call over
at the President's suite at the Maurya Sheraton for
the meetings. The discussions at these meetings are
expected to cover a wide range of matters regarding
both Sri Lankan political affairs and official relations
between Sri Lanka and India.
On Wednesday (29) President Rajapaksa
will meet with the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan
Singh at Hyderabad House. Later the same day he will
call on the Indian President Abdul Kalam at Rashtrapathi
Bhavan.
There is considerable importance
attached to President Rajapaksa's meeting with the Indian
Prime Minister. This will give the President an opportunity
to explain to Prime Minister Singh the situation regarding
current political developments in Sri Lanka, particularly
the situation in then North and
East, focusing on the A9 highway. Prime Minister Singh
has been asked by Indian political parties, mainly in
Tamil Nadu, to raise the A9 issue with the Sri Lankan
President.
President Rajapaksa will also discuss
bi-lateral relations between Sri Lanka and India, especially
matters regarding the Indo - Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement
and means of improving trade and commerce between the
two countries and, increasing Indian investment in Sri
Lanka, and other matters of mutual interest.
According to political observers
in New Delhi the meetings that have been arranged for
President Rajapaksa with political leaders indicate
the importance Sri Lanka attaches to good relations
with India, and the reciprocal attitudes by the main
political parties at the Centre in India.
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