The External Affairs Minister S.K.Krishna today said that India hoped for a `structured dialogue mechanism’ which could lead to the process towards a political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.In his remarks to the media after the Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Commission, which he presided over along his Sri Lankan counterpart G.L. Peiris, said that end of the armed conflict in the island nation in May last year provided a historic opportunity to address all outstanding issues and move towards political settlement in the spirit of understanding and mutual accommodation. Prof. Peiris in response to a question on the perceived delay in devolution of powers to province and redressal of grievances of minorities in Sri Lanka said the immediate priority of the Government on humanitarian issues in the post-conflict era and maintained that the long term goals have not been lost sight of. The Minister said that suggestions have been invited from all the stakeholders to the ethnic problem in the country and the Government is engaged in dialogue with various political groups. Both the Ministers agreed that the just concluded Joint Commission covered the whole range of issues of interest to the two countries and take the bilateral relations to a new level.Krishna said that scheduled opening of the Indian consulates in Hambantota and Jaffna is a significant milestone in promotion of people to people to contact. Krishna would declare open the consulates today and tomorrow respectively. On the commitment by India to build 50,000 houses for the war displaced Tamil civilians in the Northern and Eastern provinces will be an enduring symbol of India-Lanka partnership. The Joint Commission has ratified instrument on transfer of prisoners and mutual legal assistance treaty. Krishna said India is engaged in helping the Sri Lanka Government in providing relief and, re-settlement and restoration of livelihoods of the Internally Displaced Persons. Answering a question the Minister said that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has conveyed some concerns on the resettlement of the war displaced Tamil civilians and the Sri Lanka Government is sensitive to those concerns.