Colombo: Sri Lanka on April 3 said it hoped that India would participate at a crucial aid-related meeting, called by the US to help support the island's peace bid, in Washington this month.

Constitutional Affairs Minister G L Peiris told reporters that he expected New Delhi to send a representative to the April 14 meeting.

The meeting is to set the stage for a bigger international aid pledging conference, which Japan is hosting from June 9 to 10 in Tokyo.

However, the US has said it was not inviting Tamil Tiger rebels to the Washington meet, unlike the one in Oslo in November when Tigers shared a platform with the Sri Lankan government.

Like India, the US too has outlawed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE). But, the US supports Sri Lanka's efforts to keep up peace negotiations with the Tigers.

New Delhi too continued favouring the peace process, but refrained from any direct contact with the Tigers.

PTI