Colombo: With the Sri Lankan military stepping up is offensive against the LTTE, India today said it desired a "political" solution to the 25-year-old Tamil ethnic problem that is acceptable to all sections of the Sri Lankan society.

Maintaining that New Delhi was committed to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the island country, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Alok Prasad said a political settlement acceptable to all communities in the Island Country should be found. "Our firm belief is that the ethnic issue in Sri Lanka has to be resolved through a political settlement acceptable to all sections of the Sri Lankan society and consistent with the principles of democracy, pluralism and human rights," he said in a statement on the occasion of 59th Republic Day.

He said being a close friend of Sri Lanka, "we have an abiding interest in peace, stability and development in this country so that it is able to harness the fruits of development taking place in our region and beyond". Fighting in Sri Lanka has intensified since the government scrapped the 2002 ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam this month.

The head of the Indian mission said the political leadership on both sides continues to nurture the friendship that has spanned over two milliennia. This is through sustained interaction and sharing of views on development "in our respective countries and in the world at large," the High Commissioner said.

Source : PTI