India may back Lanka on US motion for probe into war crimes

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Foreign minister S.M. Krishna said on Thursday relationship with Colombo and sentiments in the country (Tamil Nadu) would be taken into account while deciding India’s stand at the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council meet in Geneva on the US resolution against Sri Lanka over alleged war crimes.

“Certainly, we will take into account the overall relationship between India and Sri Lanka and sentiments prevalent in our country. We will take every factor into consideration before we take a final call on our stand in Geneva,” he said here .

Krishna was responding to a question on CM Jayalalithaa’s two recent letters to PM urging India support the US resolution.

In her second letter in less than a week, CM had taken exception to India’s reported stand that it was against 'country-specific' resolutions at UNHRC. She said that could bail out Lanka.

Several other Tamil parties, including UPA member DMK, have demanded that Colombo be tried for alleged war crimes. Krishna’s airport response does not address Tamil sentiments. It is rather laboured since he also mentioned Indian relations with Sri Lanka 'are basically good'.

It would be impossible for New Delhi to preserve the good relations and at the same time consider Tamil sentiments by backing the US resolution. Abstaining from voting may be an option, but that could further anger Tamils.