NEW DELHI - India’s new Foreign Minister said yesterday that Sri Lanka should now address the root cause of the problems of Tamils and offer a solution that would include effective devolution of power to all communities within the country's constitution.

S.M. Krishna

"It is our view that as the conventional conflict in Sri Lanka comes to an end, this is a moment when the root causes of that conflict will have to be addressed,” External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said in a brief interaction with the media.

Mr. Krishna, former Chief Minister of Karnataka and former Maharashtra Governor, said measures should include political steps towards the effective devolution of power within the Sri Lankan constitution so that Sri Lankans of all communities, including the Tamils, could feel at home and lead lives of dignity of their own free will.

"India will work with the people and government of Sri Lanka to provide relief to those affected by the tragic conflict and to rapidly rehabilitate those who have been displaced bringing normalcy to their lives as soon as possible," said Mr. Krishna who was also a minister during the regimes of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. - PTI