Diplomacy to ensure a win-win situation

Mar 19, 2012 - K.S. JAYASEELAN |

Age Correspondent

New Delhi

Even as the DMK ordered a meeting of its executive committee on March 20 to discuss the stand of India on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, the Indian government is quietly working on the wording of the resolution in consultation with the big powers that would land both India and Sri Lanka in a win-win situation.
According to highly-placed sources in the government, the wording of the resolution would be such that while it would take care of the concerns raised by India, it would also not give an impression to Sri Lanka that it is being bulldozed by the international community on what it essentially considers an internal matter.
India is also working to get the resolution passed unanimously so as to convey the point that the world is united in its approach towards the tiny Island nation, sources said.
This also would bring additional pressure on the Mahinda Rajapakse regime to address the Tamil minority question in an unbiased, fair and time-bound manner, sources added.
The UPA government, which is caught between the devil and the deep-blue sea over the sensitive issue, is very particular about not rubbing its southern maritime neighbour the wrong way, lest it embrace China even more openly and strongly. At the same time, it also is not in a position to ignore the opinion of political parties from Tamil Nadu. Despite intense pressure, the Indian government has made it clear that it cannot support a country-specific resolution, but would do so if it were an issue based one.
Sri Lanka has been facing allegations of having committed atrocities during the final stages of its conflict with the LTTE. There is tremendous pressure on Colombo to implement the recommendations of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commis-sion that was appointed by it. It also has been called upon to settle the Tamil problem once and for all as per its commitment to the world.
The United States-sponsored resolution backed by France and Norway is likely to come up for voting in Geneva on March 23.

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