Union Minister Seetharaman addressing a press conference in Chennai on Saturday had said that India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was of the firm view that this could not be allowed to become a festering issue.

"The government is engaging with Sri Lanka on the need to find a permanent solution to the fishermen problem as well as the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils," she pointed out.

However, she said, while there were many ways to solve the issue, an economic embargo on Sri Lanka, as demanded by the Tamil Nadu Assembly in a resolution, was not an option.

Special Reporter