Colombo: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake has said that no Indian citizen "with feelings" will pardon the LTTE for the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and is hopeful that India will extend its assistance to "defeat terrorism".

"The (Sri Lankan) Government is of the firm view that India will extend its fullest assistance to defeat terrorism and provide relief measures to the people in the North and the East," Wickramanayake told Parliament.

This is also due to the strong bonds of friendship that the Government of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has forged with the political leadership of India, he told the House yesterday.

The premier opening the Emergency debate said: "India is our longstanding friend. India and Sri Lanka have always acted with mutual trust and cooperation as a result of the longstanding historical ties between the two countries," the state run Daily News quoted him as saying.

"If the people of India remember their past, they would feel the pressure exerted by LTTE terrorism. The LTTE killed a great Indian leader. We believe any Indian citizen with feelings will not pardon the LTTE," he said.

"The Government is also of the view that the central Government of India is not ready to make any intervention in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka, other than extending it's support to its neighbouring country, Sri Lanka," he said.

"However, certain pro-LTTE elements in South India have engaged in various activities to boost the image of the LTTE. We think these are moves engaged in by certain elements due to a lack of understanding," the Prime Minister claimed.
Source : PTI