Thursday, July 7 2005 20:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Colombo: Sri Lanka today (July 7, 2005) warned that it may resort to legal action against India over its Sethu Samudra Canal Project in the event of failure to resolve environmental and livelihood issues raised by it bilaterally.

Replying to a question in Parliament, which discussed India's SSC project today, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar said there, was a possibility of taking India to an international court.

"This is obviously a measure of last resort in the event of failure to resolve any issue through bilateral consultations and friendly cooperation," the minister said.

However, he said he was hopeful that the two countries will be able to work together and address the environmental and livelihood issues and mitigate any adverse effects.

He said resorting to international legal action now was "premature" but remained in the "realm of possibility."

"I am of course duty bound to assure the House that Sri Lanka will take all the necessary steps to safeguard the well being and the interests of our people and our country."

"We would naturally do this in a calibrated and graduated manner opting first for a cooperative and consultative approach," he said. "At the moment we are engaged in that exercise. We will consider further action thereafter if and when necessary."

The dredging of the seabed and clearing channel for shipping along the narrow Palk Straits will slash travel time for ships between the Arabian Sea and India's east coast.

Sri Lanka has already expressed fears that the Indian project could take away shipping from Colombo's main port and also pose a security threat to the smaller island republic.