indopak
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Some info. from this long article. Could be the reason he's angry with PM Modi
Govt. wrong-footed at Modi meeting | The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka
The message was delivered last Tuesday, the very first day he was in office as the fifteenth Prime Minister of India. Premier Narendra Modi asked President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the “early and full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.” He said the Government “should expedite the process of national reconciliation in a manner that meets the aspirations of the Tamil community for a life of equality, justice, peace and dignity in a united Sri Lanka.” One would have expected the new Premier to settle down in office, address domestic issues and then turn to bilateral concerns with India’s neighbours. If that were to take months, Modi had ended it in just twenty minutes with Sri Lanka.
At last Thursday’s weekly ministerial meeting, Rajapaksa confirmed that Premier Modi had raised with him issues relating to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Police and land powers and the issue of fishermen. He made clear that the Indian Prime Minister had stated his new Government’s position. In responding to them, he said, he had also stated the Sri Lanka Government’s position. He said there were wrong reports in some quarters and added no one could accuse him of agreeing to anything or rejecting anything.
After the swearing-in ceremonies, it was nightfall. Rajapaksa and his entourage returned to the Taj Palace Hotel along Sardar Patel Road on Monday night. Bedtime was not early for Premier Modi. Officials in New Delhi say he kept up till midnight at Hyderabad House, the state guest house where he then stayed, to be briefed by External Affairs Ministry Secretary Sujatha Singh and others. Besides Pakistan, issues involving Sri Lanka drew his attention in large measure. He had raised incisive questions and briefed himself. Hence, when Rajapaksa and an entourage of seven met Modi and his officials, the Indian Premier was ready. When he called for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment and “go beyond,” Rajapaksa is learnt to have explained that such things could not be done overnight. Modi was to reply that it was now over five years since the separatist war ended. At one point, the Indian Prime Minister had turned to External Affairs Ministry Secretary Sujatha Singh and queried what assurances were given by Rajapaksa to his predecessor, Manmohan Singh. She had replied that it was to fully implement the 13th Amendment and go beyond it. Further confirmation that Premier Modi had been fully briefed for the 20-minute encounter with Rajapaksa came when he called for the “early launch of the 500 MW Sampur coal fired power project.”
At the conclusion of the Rajapaksa-Modi talks in New Delhi, officials in India’s Ministry of External Affairs were incensed by the media statement put out by the Sri Lankan side. They opined it did not correctly reflect the discourse. this instance, its importance was greater because Sri Lanka was beginning a fresh dialogue with a new InThe standard practice in such situations is for both sides to obtain each other’s concurrence over such statements or issue one jointly. Indian administration. However, the Sri Lanka’s official statement said “President Rajapaksa described the initiatives Sri Lanka has taken with regard to rehabilitation, resettlement, reconstruction and the ongoing reconciliation process in the country.” Besides that, it added, “President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Modi also discussed the issue of fishermen of both countries and measures that can be taken to find a permanent solution through a process in which the views of the fishermen from both countries can be taken into consideration. Both agreed that talks between the fishermen and the meeting of the joint committee of officials must continue.” It is clear the statement kept Sri Lankans in the dark about the issue of the 13th Amendment raised by Premier Modi and his request that the Government implements it.
Govt. wrong-footed at Modi meeting | The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka
The message was delivered last Tuesday, the very first day he was in office as the fifteenth Prime Minister of India. Premier Narendra Modi asked President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the “early and full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.” He said the Government “should expedite the process of national reconciliation in a manner that meets the aspirations of the Tamil community for a life of equality, justice, peace and dignity in a united Sri Lanka.” One would have expected the new Premier to settle down in office, address domestic issues and then turn to bilateral concerns with India’s neighbours. If that were to take months, Modi had ended it in just twenty minutes with Sri Lanka.
At last Thursday’s weekly ministerial meeting, Rajapaksa confirmed that Premier Modi had raised with him issues relating to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Police and land powers and the issue of fishermen. He made clear that the Indian Prime Minister had stated his new Government’s position. In responding to them, he said, he had also stated the Sri Lanka Government’s position. He said there were wrong reports in some quarters and added no one could accuse him of agreeing to anything or rejecting anything.
After the swearing-in ceremonies, it was nightfall. Rajapaksa and his entourage returned to the Taj Palace Hotel along Sardar Patel Road on Monday night. Bedtime was not early for Premier Modi. Officials in New Delhi say he kept up till midnight at Hyderabad House, the state guest house where he then stayed, to be briefed by External Affairs Ministry Secretary Sujatha Singh and others. Besides Pakistan, issues involving Sri Lanka drew his attention in large measure. He had raised incisive questions and briefed himself. Hence, when Rajapaksa and an entourage of seven met Modi and his officials, the Indian Premier was ready. When he called for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment and “go beyond,” Rajapaksa is learnt to have explained that such things could not be done overnight. Modi was to reply that it was now over five years since the separatist war ended. At one point, the Indian Prime Minister had turned to External Affairs Ministry Secretary Sujatha Singh and queried what assurances were given by Rajapaksa to his predecessor, Manmohan Singh. She had replied that it was to fully implement the 13th Amendment and go beyond it. Further confirmation that Premier Modi had been fully briefed for the 20-minute encounter with Rajapaksa came when he called for the “early launch of the 500 MW Sampur coal fired power project.”
At the conclusion of the Rajapaksa-Modi talks in New Delhi, officials in India’s Ministry of External Affairs were incensed by the media statement put out by the Sri Lankan side. They opined it did not correctly reflect the discourse. this instance, its importance was greater because Sri Lanka was beginning a fresh dialogue with a new InThe standard practice in such situations is for both sides to obtain each other’s concurrence over such statements or issue one jointly. Indian administration. However, the Sri Lanka’s official statement said “President Rajapaksa described the initiatives Sri Lanka has taken with regard to rehabilitation, resettlement, reconstruction and the ongoing reconciliation process in the country.” Besides that, it added, “President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Modi also discussed the issue of fishermen of both countries and measures that can be taken to find a permanent solution through a process in which the views of the fishermen from both countries can be taken into consideration. Both agreed that talks between the fishermen and the meeting of the joint committee of officials must continue.” It is clear the statement kept Sri Lankans in the dark about the issue of the 13th Amendment raised by Premier Modi and his request that the Government implements it.
