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British minister offers to mediate in Lankan crisis

The British government is willing to mediate to find a peaceful settlement to the current ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, ''if we are asked,'' visiting minister of state for foreign affairs Derek Fatchett said today.

Amid speculation that the junior minister's visit to the island nation is to renew the 1997 Liam Fox Agreement, Fatchett told the media that ''Britain is as consistent as before and is willing to act as a mediator.'' But at the same time, he has no fresh initiative, he added.

Asked whether there is a scope for a third party mediation to end the war between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, he said. ''Maybe, there is scope for third party mediation.''

Fatchett, who arrived in Colombo this morning, has a busy schedule during his two-day visit. He will call on President Chandrika Kumaratunga and meet ministers, opposition leaders and various other politicians. He was scheduled to arrive yesterday, but a technical snag is the Air Lanka flight carrying him yesterday, delayed his arrival in Colombo. His main itinerary was to inaugurate the British trade fair which opened in the Sri Lankan capital yesterday.

He will leave for India tomorrow on a three-day visit during which he will visit Bangalore. He will have consultations with various economic delegations in New Delhi on Friday.

UNI

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