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Sri Lanka

India reassures long-term help for Sri Lanka

India yesterday pledged its continued assistance towards the relief and reconstruction drive in tsunami-hit areas of Sri Lanka.

This assurance was made by Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh when he met his Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapakse on the sidelines of the Asian-African Summit in Jakarta.

Prime Minister Rajapakse expressed his country's profound gratitude for the spontaneous response by India in the immediate wake of the tsunami destruction in coastal Sri Lanka, and said such assistance went a long way towards restoration of normality in the lives of victims and also in rebuilding the devastated areas. The duo also discussed ways and means of developing the agricultural and industrial sectors of both countries under the Indian Credit Line to Sri Lanka.

They also discussed methods to develop Sri Lanka's fisheries sector. The peace process and its current status too figured prominently in the discussions between the two Prime Ministers.

The Lankan Prime Minister also met Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Nepal King Gayendra in bilateral discussions during the Summit.

Prime Minister Rajapakse will visit the tsunami-hit Aceh area of Indonesia today to inspect the damage and the progress of reconstruction activities.

He is expected to exchange views on the reconstruction process with Indonesian officials. Indonesia recorded the biggest death toll in the December 26 tsunami disaster.