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Article: India urges 'pause' in Sri Lankan fighting
- Article from:
- Colombo Times
- Article date:
- February 28, 2009
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Colombo, Feb. 28 -- India has called for a "pause" in the fighting between Sri Lankan forces and Tamil rebels to allow the evacuation of thousands of civilians trapped in the nation's northern war zone.
In a statement issued Saturday, India's external affairs minister, Pranab Mukherjee, warned that the humanitarian crisis was "building up with every passing day" in Sri Lanka.
Mukherjee referred to the recent rebel offer of a cease-fire as an "opportunity" for the Sri Lankan government to stave off the crisis.
"While this (the cease-fire proposal) may fall short of a declaration of willingness to lay down arms, it is our view that the government of Sri Lanka should seize the opportunity ...