Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao today met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and assured him of India's support to the process of resettlement and rehabilitation of Tamil civilians. In the first high-level contact between the two countries after the Presidential polls in the island nation in January, Mrs Rao congratulated Rajapaksa for his resounding victory.<br/>She expressed India's willingness to continue assisting Sri Lanka in the resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons. She said, India is also keen to assist in the complete restoration of the railway line in the North. <br/><br/>An official statement from the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo said, India is assisting Sri Lanka in relief and rehabilitation of the Tamil civilians and has already allocated 500 crore rupees for this purpose. New Delhi has also been nudging Colombo to quickly follow up the military victory with a political solution that satisfies the minority communities, especially Tamils.<br/><br/>Mrs Rao and Rajapaksa also discussed the problems being faced by fishermen of both the countries, besides other issues of bilateral interest. The President and Foreign Secretary also discussed the proposed coal powered power project in Trincomalee and the necessity for understanding between the two countries on the issues of protection of environment and eco-system.<br/><br/>About the political situation in Sri Lanka, Mrs Rao said the presence of more than 1,000 candidates in the forthcoming general election and the north and eastern provinces showed the enthusiasm of the people for the democratic process.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent Kanachan Prasad reports from Colombo that on her maiden visit to Sri Lanka since Ms Nirupama Rao took charge of the office of Foreign Secretary in her meeting today with the Sri Lankan President expressed India’s willingness to continue assisting Sri Lanka in the resettlement of the war displaced Tamil civilians.<br/><br/>She also said that India was keen to assist in the complete restoration of the railway line in the war ravaged North.<br/><br/>During the meeting she expressed hope that the re election of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave much cause for confidence and hope for bi-lateral relations between India and Sri Lanka in the future, and that the Indian Prime Minister looked forward to an early visit by President Rajapaksa to India.<br/><br/>Among other matters of mutual interest discussed were that of the problems faced by fisherman from both counties, the proposed coal powered power project in Trincomalee, and the necessity for understanding between India and Sri Lanka on the protection of the environment and the eco-systems<br/><br/>The Indian Foreign Secretary earlier in the day participated in the opening of the Sri Lanka-India Centre of English Language Training at Peradeniya and said India was glad to assist in this task.<br/><br/>Ms. Rao also said the participation of more than 3,000 pilgrims from India at the recent feast at the shrine of St. Anthony in Kachchathivu was a further indication of the good interaction between the Sri Lankan and Indian people.<br/><br/>The Sri Lankan President today hosted a lunch in her honour and thanked India for the assistance given to the furtherance of his policy of providing English as a life skill to Sri Lankan youth.<br/><br/>This is the first visit of any Indian official of her stature since the re-election of Mr. Rajapaksa in the January 26 Presidential election.