SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem has told Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao that if there is anybody who could solve the problems of Tamil speaking minorities it is President Mahinda Rajapaksa, because he has won the confidence and trust of the Sinhala majority, Deputy General Secretary of the SLMC Nizam Kariapper says.

Kariapper said his leader had told Ms Rao that the President could solve the problems at issue if he had the will to do so.

The SLMC Leader met Ms Rao, at India House in Thurstan Road on Sunday evening.

The Indian Foreign Secretary had said she was hopeful and confident that President Rajapaksa would do his utmost to solve the problem faced by the Tamil speaking minorities.

Ms Rao had told Hakeem that President Rajapaksa had expressed his desire to speak to the elected representatives of the Tamil speaking people from the North and the East after the upcoming general election.

SLMC Leader Hakeem was accompanied by the SLMC Director International Affairs, A. M. Faiz, and Deputy General Secretary Nizam Kariapper at the meeting.

Associated with the visiting Indian Foreign Secretary during the 45-minute meeting were Indian High Commissioner Ashok Kantha, Joint Secretary Y. Thirumoorthy and Counselor (Political) T. Shyam.

Kariapper said, "Since President Mahinda Rajapaksa has obtained a clear mandate from the Sinhala majority any acceptable solution that he might offer will definitely be acceptable to the Sinhala majority which is essential for evolving and implementing a political solution."

Meanwhile, TNA front liner Suresh Premachandran said that during talks with the visiting Indian Foreign Secretary she had invited TNA leader R. Sampanthan to New Delhi after April 08 election.

The delegation led by the TNA Leader comprised ITAK General Secretary Mavai Senathirajah and Suresh Premachandran.

Premachandran said that the talks had been held on two issues, resolving what he termed the Tamil ethnic problem in Sri Lanka and the immediate resettlement of the IDPs.

"During our meeting we stressed that there was a need for the Government to address its attention to the construction of houses for the IDPs and find solutions to their day-to-day problems."

Ms Rao also met the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) and Chief Minister of the Eastern Province Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan at the Taj Samudra Hotel at noon on Monday.

"It was a very cordial and fruitful meeting and we discussed the prevailing situation in the Eastern Province, the assistance the Indian Government is providing now and in the future," Dr. K. Vigneswaran who accompanied the CM, with his private Secretary, Azad Mowlana, said yesterday.

Ms Rao had told the CM, "We would like you to come to India as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province."