A Sri Lankan minister has said fishermen from India would not be allowed into Sri Lanka waters, declaring any such practise “illegal”.
Deputy Minister of Fisheries Dayasritha Tissera told The Sunday Leader that Sri Lanka has “a firm stand not to let Indian fishermen cross the Sri Lankan maritime boarder to poach in Sri Lankan waters”.
“That is illegal,” he added. “Earlier, request had been made asking permission to let Indian fishermen enter Sri Lankan waters for a period of time which we did not agree and we continue to take that stance.”
The minister continued to state the government has received no communication from India regarding talks to solve the ongoing issue of Indian fishermen being beaten and arrested by the Sri Lankan security forces.
His comments come after India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke on Sri Lanka saying “sometimes, provocative statements are made from their side” which “vitiate the atmosphere”.
See more in our earlier post: Sri Lanka's 'provocative statements vitiate atmosphere' says India (06 June 2015)
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