COLOMBO, Oct 16: Sri Lankan said on Thursday it was confident that India would not intervene to stop the military operation against Tamil Tigers.

Minister for Media Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said he was “confident” that New Delhi would reject demands made by Tamil Nadu administration that Delhi stepped in to save the Tigers.

However, “all future actions” of the Sri Lankan government on the ethnic issues would be based on the “full awareness” of India’s political stand on the issue and also on the importance of friendly relations between the two countries, the minister added.

“There is an agreement between Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and the Indian government on eliminating terrorism and finding a lasting solution to the ethnic problem through political means,” Mr Abeywardena said.

FOOD CONVOY STOPPED: Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) said its convoy carrying food and other essentials for the refugees in the war-zone in the Wanni had to return to Vavuniya because of “heavy fighting”. A statement from the UN said on Thursday a second attempt to reach the Wanni would be made on Friday if fighting stopped.

Since Oct 3, the UN and the World Food Programme (WFP) had failed to carry supplies to the Wanni, now teeming with over 230,000 refugees, because of a spat with the Sri Lankan government. The situation had stopped 50 trucks carrying 750 metric tons of food and other essentials.

Advised by the armed forces, the Sri Lankan government had asked the UN and the WFP to take the lorries through Nedukeny and not through Mankulam because the Mankulam part of the A9 highway was dangerous.