Joint Communique issued by the High Commissioner of India in
Sri Lanka, Mr. L. Mehotra and the Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka,
Mr. Bernard Tilakaratna, Colombo, 28 July 1989
The President of Sri Lanka has requested the Prime Minister
of India to recommence the withdrawal of the IPKF. The
withdrawal will recommence on the 29th of July 1989. The High
Commissioner of India reiterated the invitation of the Minister
of External Affairs of the Government of India to the Foreign
Minister of the Government of Sri Lanka to visit India to
discuss the time schedule for the withdrawal of the remaining
IPKF contingent in Sri Lanka. The invitation has been accepted.
This opportunity will be used to review the implementation of
the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement. During the visit of the delegation
of the question of cessation of all offensive military operation
by the IPKF and the safety and security of all communities in
North Eastern Province of Sri Lanka will also be discussed.
Press Statement issued by the Sri Lankan Delegation at the
conclusion of talks, New Delhi, 4 August 1989.
1. A delegation led by Hon. Ranjan Wijeratne, Foreign
Minister of Sri Lanka and comprising Hon. A.C.S. Hameed,
Minister of Higher Education, Scien ce and Technology and senior
officials of the Government of Sri Lanka visited New Delhi from
July 29 to August 4, 1989 at the invitation of the Minister of
External Affairs of India, His Excellency Shri P.V. Narasimha
Rao.
2. During their stay in Delhi, the delegation called on the
Prime Minister of India, His Excellency Shri Rajiv Gandhi. The
delegation had two rounds of talks with the Prime Minister of
India and several discussions with the Minister of External
Affairs, His Excellency Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao and the Minister
of Defence, His Excellency Shri K.C. Pant. The talks were held
in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.
3. The discussions centered around the regular and expeditious
withdrawal of the IPKF, the cessation of offensive military
operations by them and the security situation in the Northern
and Eastern Provinces and other relevant issues. During the
discussions, both sides presented their proposals for resolving
the issues involved.
4. The Sri Lanka delegation leaves for Colombo today and will
submit their report to His Excellency President R. Premadasa for
his consideration and decision.
Joint Communique on IPKF withdrawal, Colombo, 18 September
1989
Colombo, September 18. The following is the text of the joint
communiqu� issued simultaneously by the Government of India and
the Government of Sri Lanka today.
In pursuance of the communiqu� signed in Colombo on July 28,
1989, by Mr. L. L. Mehrotra, the High Commissioner of India, and
Mr. Bernard Tilakratne, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Sri Lanka, three rounds of consultation were held by the two
Governments.
A Sri Lankan delegation, led by the Foreign Minister, Mr. Ranjan
Wijeratne, visited India from July 29 to August 4, 1989. Mr.
Bradman Weerakoon, Special Envoy of the President of Sri Lanka,
held further discussion in New Delhi from August 15 to 17, 1989.
A final round of talks was held between Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, Prime
Minister of India, and Mr. Ranjan Wijeratne, Foreign Minister of
Sri Lanka, during their visit to Belgrade from September 4 to 7,
1989.
Cordial, friendly: The talks were held in a cordial and friendly
atmosphere. They covered bilateral issues, including the
de-induction of the remaining IPKF contingents in Sri Lanka, the
implementation of the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement, and measures to
ensure the safety and security of all communities of the
North-Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.
The implementation of the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement was reviewed
in depth by the two sides. The Sri Lankan side briefed the
Indian side on the progress made and the further steps taken by
them for the expeditious implementation of the devolution
process, such as establishing of the provincial police force and
facilitating the effective functioning of the North-Eastern
Provincial Council, and the establishment of an adequate
administrative structure for that purpose. The Lankan side also
informed the Indian side that it would institute all measures to
strengthen the civil administration as early as possible which
would ensure peace and normalcy in the North-Eastern Province.
Peace committee: The Sri Lankan side informed the Indian side of
their decision to set up a peace committee on September 20,
1989, to afford an opportunity to all political and ethnic
groups in the North-Eastern Province to come together to settle
their differences, through a process of consultation, compromise
and consensus, and to bring all groups into the democratic
process, thereby ending violence and improving conditions for
the physical safety and security of all communities. This would
help restore normalcy and contribute to the effective
functioning of the North-Eastern Provincial Council. The first
meeting of the peace committee will be held within three weeks
of the setting up of this committee. This decision was welcomed
by the Indian side.
It was decided to set up a security coordination group
comprising the Sri Lankan Minister of State for Defence, the
Chief Minister of the North-Eastern Province, the Sri Lankan
Defence Secretary and the GOC of the IPKF, with a view to
avoiding any adverse impact on the law and order situation in
the North-Eastern Province and to suggest measures to ensure the
safety and security in the North-Eastern Province as the phased
de-induction of the IPKF and the strengthening of the civilian
administration of the North-Eastern Province of Sri Lanka
proceed. This group will keep in view the recommendations of the
peace committee relating to the safety and security of the
inhabitants of the North-Eastern Province.
In view of the above, the process of de-induction of the IPKF,
which recommenced on July 29, 1989, will be continued on the
expeditious schedule. All efforts will be made to accelerate the
de-induction by December 31, 1989.
The Indian side stated that the suspension of offensive military
operations by the IPKF will come into effect at 6 a.m. on
September 20, 1989. An observer group consisting of the Sri
Lanka Army Commander and the GOC of the IPKF will report any
violations of the cessation of hostilities and immediate
consequential action taken, and recommend further remedial
action to the President of Sri Lanka.
Sd/ Sd/-
L. L. Mehrotra B. P.Tilakaratne
High Commissioner for India Secretary to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka
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