APD | Sri Lanka denies claims Indian spy agency behind plot to kill President

By APD writer Easwaran

**COLOMBO, Oct. 17 (APD) -- **Sri Lanka on Wednesday denied reports that the Indian spy agency was behind a plot to kill the President.

President Maithripala Sirisena had talks with the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Wednesday after it was reported that the President had accused the Indian intelligence agency of plotting to assassinate him.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that media reports of a plot by RAW to assassinate the President are baseless and false.

The Ministry emphasized that relations between Sri Lanka and India including at the highest levels of Government are strong, encompassing multiple spheres including intelligence sharing.

“It is disappointing therefore that matters of this nature have become the subject of distorted and erroneous media reports taking the President’s remarks out of context, which has given rise to further media and social media speculation and the spread of unfounded fear among the public,” the Foreign Ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry said that in continuation of the close and regular interaction between Sri Lanka and India are at all levels including at the highest levels of Government, President Sirisena had discussions with the High Commissioner of India in Colombo.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)