Lanka appreciates India's move to step up security at its HC

Sri Lanka has appreciated India's swift action to strengthen security around its mission in New Delhi, which was stormed by a Tamil outfit's activists who pelted stones at the building and ransacked its premises.

Its appreciation was conveyed by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama to his Indian counterpart S M Krishna, who telephoned him last evening after the incident at the Sri Lankan High Commission.

Krishna assured Bogollagama that steps had been taken to strengthen security at Colombo's High Commission and that action will be taken against those responsible for yesterday's incident, it said.

"The Foreign Minister thanked Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna for the telephone call and stated that he appreciated the gesture" and steps taken by India, a Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry statement said today.

Around 40 activists of little-known outfit 'Puthiya Tamizhagam' based in Tamil Nadu entered the High Commission premises yesterday afternoon, protesting against firing by Sri Lankan navy on Indian fishermen. They ran into the premises shouting slogans and pelted stones at the building in which some window panes were broken.

After the incident, the Indian government said the law enforcement agencies have swung into action and security around the High Commission premises has been strengthened.

Bogollagama, during the telephonic conversation with Krishna, also said he was confident that all necessary steps would be taken by the Indian government to deal with the matter.

The Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its High Commission in New Delhi had made representations to the Indian government following the incident.

The Foreign Ministry here noted that the Indian External Affairs Ministry issued a statement "deeply regretting the unfortunate incident" and subsequently Krishna initiated a telephone call to Bogollagama.

"He (Krishna) further stated that the incident is contrary to the cooperative relationship that exists between the two countries and certainly does not reflect the close and warm bilateral friendship," it said.