India's NSA, FS to travel to Colombo, to meet Rajapaksa

New Delhi, May 20 (PTI) Ahead of their departure for
Colombo, India's National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and
Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon Wednesday met Chief
Minister of southern state Tamil Nadu, M Karunanidhi and
discussed with him issues that will come up during talks with
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The two met Karunanidhi at Tamil Nadu House in the
national capital after which Narayanan said he came to seek
his advice on issues.

"I will be leaving for Sri Lanka today and I will be
holding talks there," Narayanan told reporters after the
meeting.

The two envoys are expected to take up issues like
devolution of powers to Tamils in the island and their
immediate rehabilitation in view of their sufferings undergone
during the current war.

To a question on Prabhakaran's fate, the NSA said "as
per our information Prabhakaran is no more".

Yesterday, Karunanidhi had refused to believe that the
LTTE supremo was dead.

"The news is not yet confirmed. I have nothing to say
now on this issue," Karunanidhi had said.

India has prepared a Rs 500 crore rehabilitation
package for the displaced people.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had already announced a
Rs 100-crore relief package for Lankan Tamils in addition to
the Rs 25 crore aid given by Tamil Nadu government.

India has been asking Sri Lanka to take political
steps to ensure "effective devolution of power" so that Tamils
in the island nation could live with dignity. PTI NCB
PMR
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