Saturday, June 11 2005 17:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: MDMK (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), one of the constituents supporting the Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government at the Centre from outside, today (Jun 11, 2005) appealed to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, not to sign any Defence agreement with Sri Lanka.

"I am terribly shocked about the statement made by external affairs Minister Natwar Singh in Colombo yesterday (Jun 10, 2005) that the proposed bilateral Defence cooperation agreement is in the process of being finalised' and that India had offered radar systems to provide air coverage for Colombo and Sri Lankan defence establishments, Vaiko, General Secretary of the MDMK, said in his letter to Dr Singh.

If any Defence agreement was reached, it would be the 'worst fatal blunder' committed by India, he said recalling his memorandum submitted to Dr Singh on June 4 in Delhi on the Sri Lankan scenario.

The MDMK chief said many innocent Tamils were killed by the strafing and bombing of Sri Lankan Air-Force planes and helicopter gun-ships in and around Jaffna in 1995 and again in 1998.

"A million dollar question arises in the minds of Tamils on whether India will give protection and air cover to Tamils for aerial attacks launched by Sri Lankan Air Force in an atmosphere of confrontation'.

In the name of bilateral cooperation, India should not provide any Defence equipment to Sri Lanka. Any military help would cause unhealable wounds in the hearts and minds of the Tamils, not only in the island, but also in Tamil Nadu, the MDMK chief said.

A copy of his letter to Dr Singh was released to the press here today.