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DMK won't tie up Centre over Lanka, says Maran

In a significant development, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam today made it clear that it did not intend to tie up the Centre while dealing with developments in Sri Lanka.

Senior DMK leader and Commerce Minister Murasoli Maran made this statement at a joint news conference with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh after an hour-long meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi this afternoon.

Maran said the DMK is a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance and would work with the Centre in dealing with the situation.

The statement assumes significance in the light of reports that Sri Lanka is turning to Isarel and Pakistan for supply of arms to fight the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Just a day ago, Karunanidhi had criticised the Centre for not consulting the DMK before announcing its stand on the ongoing war in the island.

Replying to a question, Jaswant Singh said the Sri Lankan request for assistance to deal with the LTTE figured during the meeting between Vajpayee and Karunanidhi. He, however, declined to disclose the nature of request.

Singh, however, reiterated the government's stand that there would neither be military intervention nor sale of arms to Sri Lanka. Karunanidhi is an experienced leader and belonged to a state, close to Sri Lanka, and hence the prime minister wanted to know his views on the situation, Singh added.

On despatch of humanitarian assistance to the island, Singh said it was a hypothetical question since a request to this effect was yet to be received from Sri Lanka. Maran, however, parried the question on humanitarian assistance.

UNI

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