(by Amit Baruah)

New Delhi, Aug. 26 -The Sri Lankan Minister for Economic Reforms and chief negotiator with the LTTE, Milinda Moragoda, arrived here today to brief the Indian side about next month’s peace talks with the Tigers in Thailand.  Mr. Moragoda, who has had two meetings with the LTTE point man for the talks, Anton Balasingham, will hold talks with the External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, K.C. Pant, among others.  Though India has said it does not wish to be “directly involved” in the Norwegian-facilitated talks, there is little doubt that New Delhi has high strategic stakes in the dialogue process and the direction which these talks take.