The withdrawal
of the IPKF
1989
Joint Communique issued by the High
Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka, Mr. L. Mehotra and the Foreign
Secretary of Sri Lanka, Mr. Bernard Tilakaratna, Colombo, 28 July 1989
The President of Sri Lanka has requested the Prime
Minister of India to recommence the withdrawal of the I
PKF. The withdrawal
will recommence on the 29th of July 1989. The High Commissioner
of India reiterated the invitation of the Minister of External Affairs of
the Government of India to the Foreign Minister of the Government of Sri
Lanka to visit India to discuss the time schedule for the withdrawal of the
remaining IPKF contingent in Sri Lanka. The invitation has been accepted.
This opportunity will be used to review the implementation of the Indo-Sri
Lanka Agreement. During the visit of the delegation of the question of
cessation of all offensive military operation by the IPKF and the safety and
security of all communities in North Eastern Province of Sri Lanka will also
be discussed.
Press Statement issued by the Sri Lankan Delegation
at the conclusion of talks, New Delhi,
4 August 1989.
1. A delegation led by Hon. Ranjan Wijeratne,
Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka and comprising Hon. A.C.S. Hameed, Minister
of Higher Education, Scien
ce and Technology and senior officials of the
Government of Sri Lanka visited New Delhi from July 29 to August 4, 1989
at the invitation of the Minister of External Affairs of India, His
Excellency Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao.
2. During their stay in Delhi, the delegation
called on the Prime Minister of India, His Excellency Shri Rajiv Gandhi.
The delegation had two rounds of talks with the Prime Minister of India
and several discussions with the Minister of External Affairs, His
Excellency Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao and the Minister of Defence, His
Excellency Shri K.C. Pant. The talks were held in a cordial and friendly
atmosphere.
3. The discussions centered around the regular and
expeditious withdrawal of the IPKF, the cessation of offensive military
operations by them and the security situation in the Northern and Eastern
Provinces and other relevant issues. During the discussions, both sides
presented their proposals for resolving the issues involved.
4. The Sri Lanka delegation leaves for Colombo
today and will submit their report to His Excellency President R.
Premadasa for his consideration and decision.
Joint Communique on IPKF withdrawal, Colombo, 18
September 1989
Colombo, September 18. The following is the text of
the joint communiqué issued simultaneously by the Government of India and
the Government of Sri Lanka today.
In pursuance of the communiqué signed in Colombo on
July 28, 1989, by Mr. L. L. Mehrotra, the High Commissioner of India, and
Mr. Bernard Tilakratne, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka,
three rounds of consultation were held by the two Governments.
A Sri Lank
an delegation, led by the Foreign
Minister, Mr. Ranjan Wijeratne, visited India from July 29 to August 4,
1989. Mr. Bradman Weerakoon, Special Envoy of the President of Sri Lanka,
held further discussion in New Delhi from August 15 to 17, 1989. A final
round of talks was held between Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of India,
and Mr. Ranjan Wijeratne, Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, during their visit
to Belgrade from September 4 to 7, 1989.
Cordial, friendly: The talks were held in a cordial
and friendly atmosphere. They covered bilateral issues, including the
de-induction of the remaining IPKF contingents in Sri Lanka, the
implementation of the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement, and measures to ensure the
safety and security of all communities of the North-Eastern Province of Sri
Lanka.
The implementation of the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement
was reviewed in depth by the two sides. The Sri Lankan side briefed the
Indian side on the progress made and the further steps taken by them for the
expeditious implementation of the devolution process, such as establishing
of the provincial police force and facilitating the effective functioning of
the North-Eastern Provincial Council, and the establishment of an adequate
administrative structure for that purpose. The Lankan side also informed the
Indian side that it would institute all measures to strengthen the civil
administration as early as possible which would ensure peace and normalcy in
the North-Eastern Province.
Peace committee: The Sri Lankan side informed the
Indian side of their decision to set up a peace committee on September 20,
1989, to afford an opportunity to all political and ethnic groups in the
North-Eastern Province to come together to settle their differences, through
a process of consultation, compromise and consensus, and to bring all groups
into the democratic process, thereby
ending violence and improving
conditions for the physical safety and security of all communities. This
would help restore normalcy and contribute to the effective functioning of
the North-Eastern Provincial Council. The first meeting of the peace
committee will be held within three weeks of the setting up of this
committee. This decision was welcomed by the Indian side.
It was decided to set up a security coordination
group comprising the Sri Lankan Minister of State for Defence, the Chief
Minister of the North-Eastern Province, the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary and
the GOC of the IPKF, with a view to avoiding any adverse impact on the law
and order situation in the North-Eastern Province and to suggest measures to
ensure the safety and security in the North-Eastern Province as the phased
de-induction of the IPKF and the strengthening of the civilian
administration of the North-Eastern Province of Sri Lanka proceed. This
group will keep in view the recommendations of the peace committee relating
to the safety and security of the inhabitants of the North-Eastern Province.
In view of the above, the process of de-induction of
the IPKF, which recommenced on July 29, 1989, will be continued on the
expeditious schedule. All efforts will be made to accelerate the
de-induction by December 31, 1989.
The Indian side stated that the suspension of
offensive military operations by the IPKF will come into effect at 6 a.m. on
September 20, 1989. An observer group consisting of the Sri Lanka Army
Commander and the GOC of the IPKF will report any violations of the
cessation of hostilities and immediate consequential action taken, and
recommend further remedial action to the President of Sri Lanka.
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Sd/
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Sd/-
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L. L. Mehrotra
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B. P.Tilakaratne
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High Commissioner for India
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Secretary to the
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka
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