COLOMBO: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar arrived here on Wednesday evening for talks with his counterparts in the Agriculture and other related ministries. The two-day visit is expected to bolster agriculture ties.

Mr. Pawar is scheduled to call on the Sri Lanka President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the Foreign Minister, Rohitha Bogollagama, for an exchange of views on the situation in the island nation, in the light of the aerial raids by the Tamil Tigers and the ongoing debate for a political resolution of the ethnic conflict.

Ties under a cloud

In recent weeks, bilateral relations came under a cloud, after Colombo complained about the efficacy of the Indian-gifted air defence radars. Managers of the Rajapaksa Government hinted that New Delhi pressured Colombo to opt for two-dimensional radars when it preferred three-dimensional radars from China. According to diplomatic circles, the matter has been sorted out and the countries are working together to strengthen the air defence mechanism of Sri Lanka.

Antony's statement

Colombo has also been agitated over the recent statement made by Defence Minister A.K. Antony in Parliament that 77 Indian fishermen have been killed by the Sri Lanka Navy from 1991 to mid-April 2007. After giving 48 hours to India to clarify the statement, Sri Lanka issued a statement questioning the claim made by Mr. Antony. These subjects and the recent proposals put forth by the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party for resolution of the ethnic strife are expected to figure in the interaction between Mr. Rajapaksa and Mr. Pawar.

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