Following is the text of the letter from the International
Secretariat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam welcoming the
appointment of honourable Inder Kumar Gujral as Prime Minister of
India.


				LTTE International Secretariat
				211, Katherine Road
				London E16 1BU
				United Kingdom
				Tel / Fax  + 44 181 503 4294
				22 April 1997

Honourable Inder Kumar Gujral                                           
Prime minister
New Delhi
India

Dear Sir

We wish to congratulate you on your appointment to the honourable
post of Prime Minister of the great nation of India. As you are
aware, the Tamil people in the northeast of Sri Lanka have a long
and valuable bond with the people of India which dates back
several centuries. It is a relationship of the deepest historical
significance for us and one which Eelam Tamils are committed to
preserving and promoting. We are mindful not only of the close
affinity we have with the people of Tamil Nadu, but also the
greater religious and cultural aspirations we share with the
entire nation of India. It is our sincere wish that the coming
years will see a strengthening of this bond with the Indian
people and a deepening of our friendship. This is possible
because the Tamil people are truly inspired by your appointment
to this eminent position.

Sir, mixed with our enthusiasm at your appointment to this worthy
role, we are hopeful that you might raise your own voice in
support of self-determination for the Tamil Eelam nation and help
to finally end the subjugation of the Tamil people, who are
presently under physical attack in their own homeland.

May we stress that we wish you well in your role as Prime
Minister of India and at the same time we pray for your earnest
attention to the desperate and worsening plight of our people.

Executive Committee
LTTE International Secretariat