President calls Indian PM Modi;assures to strengthen bilateral ties

President Maithripala Sirisena and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation this evening after media reports emerged suggesting that President Sirisena reportedly told at cabinet meeting that an Indian intelligence agency is behind a plot to assassinate him.

Indian Prime Minister's Office said that during the telephonic conversation, President Sirisena categorically rejected the reports in sections of media about him alluding to the involvement of India in any manner whatsoever in an alleged plot to assassinate the President and a former Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka.

"He mentioned that the michevous and malafide reports were utterly baseless and false, and seemed intended to create misunderstanding between the two leaders as well as damage the cordial relations between the two friendly neighbours." the statement said.

President Sirisena apprised the Prime Minister of the urgent steps taken by him personally and the Government of Sri Lanka to publicly reject these reports. In this context, he also recalled his meeting with the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka today morning.   

The President also stated that he regards the Prime Minister as a true friend of Sri Lanka, as also a close personal friend.  He stressed that he greatly valued the mutually beneficial ties between India and Sri Lanka, and remained steadfast to work with the Prime Minister for futher strengtheing them.