Colombo: Sri Lanka today said the fishermen issue with India will be referred to a high-powered committee meeting in June after talks between the representatives of the two fishing communities ended in a deadlock.
“At today's talks there were disagreements. Sri Lankan side was not in agreement to grant the India side's request to allow fishing in Sri Lankan waters,” Narendra Rajapaksa, the fisheries ministry spokesman, said.
“Sri Lankan community representatives were vehemently opposed to the Indians' bottom trawling. They wanted a three- year period during which they will stop bottom trawling,” he said.
Rajapaksa said that during today's meeting Sri Lankan fishermen told their Indian counterparts of their plight. They have resumed their livelihoods after thirty years of an armed conflict.
“They urged the Indian side not to exploit the Sri Lankan fishing resource that needs to be preserved for them,” he said.
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