By NNN-PTI,
Colombo : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to undertake a visit here shortly to discuss the situation arising out of the military offensive in LTTE-held north, sources said on Saturday.
The decision in this regard is understood to have been reached during a telephonic conversation between Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday.
The two leaders are believed to have decided that Mukherjee will meet the Sri Lankan leaders here and assess the situation, the sources said.
Rajapaksa, who called up Singh in a bid to allay India’s concern over the situation in Sri Lanka, told the Prime Minister that the military operation in the north is “in no way directed against civilians,” the sources said.
He told Singh it was the desire of his government to bring about normalcy as early as possible.
The two leaders discussed the issue of displacement of Tamil civilians in the north of the country with Rajapaksa assuring Singh that the displaced Tamil civilians caught in the war between the Sri Lankan security forces and the LTTE would be rehabilitated as soon as possible.
He said in fact there were more internally displaced persons in the east which is being quickly addressed.
Singh, on his part, expressed concern over the plight of Tamil civilians in the north, the sources said, adding he wanted the issued to be fully addressed.