Sri Lanka not to release fishermen
Sri Lanka fisheries minister to meet Pawar in Delhi before deciding on release date.
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-01-13 09:08 GMT
Chennai: Sri Lanka on Sunday said it will not release over 200 (275 to 288) Indian fishermen lodged here before the Sri Lankan fisheries minister Ranjith Senaratne meets Indian minister for agriculture and officials in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Senaratne is flying to New Delhi prior to the meeting of the fishermen of the two countries that is scheduled to be held in Chennai on January 20.
Senaratne’s comments, which came a day after Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa said the Centre had indicated that 179 Lankan fishermen lodged in state prisons would be released to create a favourable atmosphere, comes as disappointing news in a state which was expecting the Indian gesture of prisoner release to be reciprocated by Sri Lanka.
Senaratne and a team of Sri Lankan legal, naval and external affairs ministry officials are scheduled to meet minister for agriculture Sharad Pawar, whose portfolio includes fisheries.
“We are looking at a solution where all detained fishermen by both sides would be released simultaneously,” Senaratne said, adding a suggestion has been made that Sri Lanka releases Indian fishermen before the bilateral talks on January 14 - Pongal day, significant for the Tamils, in New Delhi.
Jayalalithaa said the Centre had informed the state government officials that Sri Lanka will take steps for the release of Indian fishermen from Jan. 13 and sought a similar gesture.
According to the fisheries ministry, some 288 Indians are in Sri Lankan custody for allegedly poaching in Lankan waters while 212 Sri Lankans are held by India.