Stressing that India was pleased with Sri Lanka’s progress in the aftermath of 2009, outgoing Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha said the vote in Geneva should not be treated as a vote against the country.

Kantha said that the ‘fundamental interests of Sri Lanka and India are interlinked and there was no contradiction in these interests’.

When asked why India isolated Sri Lanka in Geneva last March when a US sponsored resolution was taken up, he said, “We see progress and that gives us confidence. The big picture of our relationship is very positive. There are occasional differences. We may have different perspectives on some issues.”

The High Commissioner also assured that the Governments of India and Tamil Nadu have stepped up security and it was safe now for Sri Lankan pilgrims to travel to India