New Delhi(IANS) : There can be no military solution to the dragging conflict in Sri Lanka, and all countries need to encourage “a negotiated, political settlement”, India and the European Union have said.
In a joint statement released after the meeting here Saturday, the two sides said “a credible devolution package” unveiled by the Sri Lankan government would play a major role in ending decades of bloodshed.
The statement said: “There is no military solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka. A negotiated, political settlement, acceptable to all communities within the framework of a united Sri Lanka is the goal all international efforts should encourage.
“A credible devolution package would be a major contribution to this end. The leaders urged the parties to ensure respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, and to guarantee access for humanitarian aid to the population.”
India and the European Union closely watch the situation in Sri Lanka, where escalating violence primarily involving Colombo and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) since late 2005 has left thousands dead.