External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee with Sri Lankan President’s senior adviser and brother Basil Rajapaksa during a meeting in New Delhi on Sunday. — PTI

New Delhi, October 26
Sri Lanka today assured India that it would stop firing on Indian fishing vessels and take care of the safety and well-being of the Tamil community as New Delhi announced 800 tonnes of relief material for the civilians affected by the ongoing military offensive against the LTTE.

"…there will be no firing on Indian fishing vessels. It was agreed that Indian fishing vessels would carry valid registration/permit and the fishermen would have on person valid identity cards issued by the Government of Tamil Nadu,'' a joint statement by the two countries on fishing arrangements said.

The statement was issued after the talks Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's special envoy Basil Rajapaksa had with external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, national security adviser M K Narayanan and foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon. The two countries also came out with a joint press release, stating that Basil assured the Indian side that the “safety and wellbeing of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka is being take care of ”.

India conveyed its concern at the humanitarian situation in the northern part of Sri Lanka, especially of the civilians and internally displaced persons caught in the hostilities and emphasised the need for unhindered essential relief supplies.

"As a gesture of goodwill, India has decided to send around 800 tonnes of relief material to Sri Lanka for the affected civilians in the North. The government of Sri Lanka will facilitate the delivery.''

After his meeting with Basil, Mukherjee rushed to Tamil Nadu to apprise Chief Minister M Karunanidhi of the developments, with just three days left for the DMK’s ultimatum to the Centre on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

The joint statement said: “Keeping in mind the humanitarian and livelihood dimensions of the fishermen issue, India and Sri Lanka have agreed to put in place practical arrangements to deal with bona fide Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). As part of these practical arrangements, following the designation by the Government of Sri Lanka of sensitive areas along the Sri Lankan coastline and their intimation to the Government of India, Indian fishing vessels will not venture into these identified sensitive areas. Further, there will be no firing on Indian fishing vessels”.

India and Sri Lanka have agreed to continue with their discussions, initiated in 2005, on the proposed Memorandum of Understanding on development and cooperation in the field of fisheries.

According to the joint press note, the Indian side appreciated deeply the initiative of President Rajapaksa to send his special envoy. The discussions were positive and constructive and centered around a range of issues.

Rajapaksa briefed the Indian authorities on the efforts by the Sri Lanka Government to afford relief and ensure the welfare of the civilian population in the North. Both sides agreed to consult and cooperate with each other in addressing humanitarian issues.

Both sides discussed the need to move towards a peacefully negotiated political settlement in the island, including in the North. Both sides agreed that terrorism should be countered with resolve. The Indian side called for implementation of the 13th Amendment and greater devolution of powers to the provinces.