Monday, January 2 2006 09:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Indo-Sri Lanka joint statement issued at the conclusion of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's visit to India is 'biased against the LTTE', MDMK Chief Vaiko said here yesterday (Jan 01, 2006).

"While the statement appealed to the LTTE to stop violating the ceasefire, it is silent on the violations committed by the Sri Lankan Army, which are much more than that by LTTE," he told a press conference.

He cautioned the government against supplying arms to the Sri Lankan army as it would be misused against the Tamils there.

India had been following a policy of non-supply of arms to Sri Lanka from 1998, following a decision taken during an all party meeting convened by the then Prime Minister A B Vajpayee, in which the Congress was also a party. This policy should continue, he said.

On escalation of hostilities between the Lankan Government and LTTE, he said the island government should be held responsible.

Even the joint distribution of Tsunami relief in the North Eastern province, which was agreed to by both earlier, had been given up due to the pressure mounted by Sinhala 'fanatic' groups, led by Buddhist monks, who went to court. "Even after one year, Tamils affected by the tsunami are yet to get relief," he said.

India should fully back the Norwegian brokered peace talks between Sri Lankan government and the LTTE and ensure that it succeeded. "India should not fall a prey to the Lankan government's attempts to involve it in the peace process and thereby make the country work against the interests of Tamils there," he said.