India in Colombo crisis talks

India will mediate only if invited by both sides

The Indian Foreign Minister, Jaswant Singh, has held formal talks with Sri Lankan leaders in Colombo, on how to end the civil war.

India last month ruled out any military assistance to Sri Lankan troops, who over the past few months have suffered a string of heavy defeats at the hands of Tamil Tiger rebels.

Heavy fighting is continuing in the north of the island between government troops and the rebels.

Sri Lanka cannot hope much from India in its hour of need

The Island newspaper

Mr Singh met Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, at her heavily-guarded residence, Temple Trees.

He later held talks with opposition leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe.

On Sunday, Mr Singh and President Kumaratunga held informal discussions over dinner. The minister also met his Sri Lankan counterpart, Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Sceptical

Analysts say there is much scepticism about what India can do to help resolve the conflict.

"Sri Lanka cannot hope much from India in its hour of need," Sri Lanka's Island newspaper said in its leader on Monday.

Fighting continues in the north

"We have to be pragmatic and look elsewhere for immediate assistance."

Several Tamil parties are members of Delhi's governing coalition and have often supported a separate homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamils.

In a recent statement, an influential Tamil leader, M Karunanidhi, suggested that Sri Lanka be split along ethnic lines - a remark that infuriated Sri Lankans.

"It is obvious that the hands of the BJP government are well and truly tied by the pro-LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] forces... and it cannot help Sri Lanka," the Island said.

Bitter experience

India is also wary of direct military involvement because of its experience in the late 1980s, when it lost 1,200 soldiers who were part of a peace-keeping force in northern Sri Lanka.

The soldiers were hastily withdrawn in 1990 and Delhi has stayed on the sidelines since then.

But recently, India has backed a negotiated settlement to the conflict and has said it would mediate if invited to by both sides.

The 17-year long conflict has claimed more than 60,000 lives.