India wants 13A in ‘present form’ By Our Political Correspondent-2013-06-23

Indian National Security Adviser, Shiv Shankar Menon, who is scheduled to arrive in Colombo, will apprise the government about the Indian position that the 13th Amendment need to be implemented in its 'present form' and explore defence cooperation with Colombo in a bid to prevent it coaxing up to China, well-placed New Delhi sources said.

A diplomatic crisis has been brewing between Colombo and New Delhi after the government forged ahead with the plans to scrap several clauses in the 13th Amendment, specifically a clause that provide for the merger of two provinces.

Menon is expected to arrive in Colombo early next month and a separate visit by Indian External Affairs Minister, Salman Khurshid, is also on the cards, according to the South bloc sources.
Earlier, after Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, expressed concern over Colombo's plans to weaken the 13th Amendment.

"It was noted the proposed changes raised doubts about the commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government to India and the international community, including the United Nations, on a political settlement in Sri Lanka that would go beyond the 13th Amendment," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Syed Akbaruddin said, after a meeting between Prime Minister Singh and a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation.

"The changes would also be incompatible with the recommendation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), set up by the Government of Sri Lanka, calling for a political settlement based on the devolution of power to the provinces," he added.

Meanwhile, Indian National Security Adviser Menon had come hard on TNA Leader, R. Sampanthan, when he mentioned, during a meeting with Menon that the collapse of the LTTE has weakened the Tamil leadership in its bargaining power in the Island's political scene.

During the discussion, when the TNA leader had mentioned the LTTE and had also told Menon India failed to bring in a ceasefire during the last lap of the war, Menon had responded furiously, telling Sampanthan not to mention about the LTTE and reminded the TNA leader that he (Menon) was even on the hit list of the outfit when he served in Colombo as the Indian High Commissioner (1997-2000).

Menon, knowing very well the political background of the TNA leader, had reminded him that a long time ago, even Sampanthan was on the hit list of the LTTE, sources said.
The Indian diplomat, listening carefully to the issues put forward by the TNA delegation with regard to the land acquisition in the North and also on removing police and land powers from the 13th Amendment, had said India would firmly stand by the 13th Amendment and it would continue to work towards a political settlement for the Tamil question in the island, TNA sources said.

In the meantime, the TNA delegation had talks with Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the External Affairs Minister as well.
Dr. Singh has assured the TNA parliamentarians during the talks the Indian Government would not let down the Lankan Tamils and pointed out to the TNA parliamentarians that India was concerned about the political developments with regard to the 13th Amendment.

The TNA MPs returned to the island on Friday after their five-day visit to New Delhi and two TNA MPs, Suresh Premachandran and Selvan Adaikalanathan, have travelled to Berlin on Friday to attend a meeting arranged by Tamil expatriates.

Meanwhile, South Africa's Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Ibrahim Ibrahim, will arrive in Colombo today and is expected to have talks with the TNA and representatives of the government on playing a mediatory role between the government and the TNA in the political talks, sources said.

South Africa has shown a keen interest in helping the resumption of talks between the TNA and the government. A high level South African delegation, which included Deputy Minister Ibrahim Ibrahim, also met government leaders as well as the TNA members last year in Colombo.