India reiterates its stand over Lanka's 13th amendment

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured the Tamil Nadu government that there is no change in the country’s policy regarding reconciliation and devolution of political powers in Sri Lanka.

“There is absolutely no change in the Indian government’s stand on the question of reconciliation and devolution of political powers in Sri Lanka,” he said in a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha on July 16, which was released here to the media on Thursday.

“We have long advocated the creation of an environment in Sri Lanka in which all communities, particularly the Sri Lankan Tamils, are masters of their own destiny within the framework of a united Sri Lanka. We will continue to work towards this end,” Singh added.
The prime minister was replying to Jayalalitha’s letter in which she had urged to take all possible steps to bring pressure to bear upon Sri Lanka.