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India values Lanka unity: Jaswant

India is understood to have conveyed its ''position and perception'' on the Sri Lankan crisis and stressed the need for an early political settlement to the ethnic problem without affecting the unity and territorial integrity of the island nations.

Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, who arrived in Colombo Sunday afternoon on a two-day official visit, conveyed New Delhi's stand at a dinner meeting, hosted by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

At his meeting with Kumaratunga, Jaswant is believed to have reassured Lanka on New Delhi's stand that India values the unity and territorial integrity of its neighbour.

He is visiting Lanka barely three days after Prime Minister A B Vajpayee secured a consensus from his National Democratic Alliance partners over Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's remarks that a Czechoslovakia-type division of the island nation is the only solution to end the crisis in Lanka.

Official sources said that the foreign minister's visit is to further cement the bilateral relations between the two countries and to remove the misunderstanding created by Karunanidhi's statement.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was also present at the dinner. The Indian foreign minister is scheduled to have another round of talks with the President tomorrow morning.

Later, he will have bilateral talks with his Lankan counterpart Lakshman Kadirgamar at a luncheon meeting. He will also meet Opposition and United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and some moderate Tamil Party leaders Monday afternoon.

Earlier, on his arrival at the Bandarannaike International Airport, he was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Lakshman Kirella.

UNI

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