By NNN-Xinhua
Colombo : The Sri Lankan government said India’s help was crucial in the island’s battle against Tamil Tiger rebels.
“We appreciate the assistance of the Indian government in our battle to defeat terrorism,” Keheliya Rambukwella, the government’s defense spokesman and the Minister of Foreign Employment told reporters.
He said the Sri Lankan government was aware of the Indian government’s domestic political compulsions of trying to look after the interests of the Tamil community.
The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu is home to some 60 million Tamils. The Indian government has been urging Sri Lanka to end the island’s conflict with a political solution.
Rambukwella’s remarks came after a visit by the Sri Lankan Army chief Sarath Fonseka to India.