Pune serial blast, grids failure, ethnic violence in Assam, flash floods in the Himalayan region are likely to figure prominently during the discussions.

Ethnic clashes in southern Ethiopia are reported to have left at least 18 people dead and 12 others injured. The Kenyan Red Cross says more than 20,000 people have crossed into Kenya to escape the fighting. 

A spokesman told newsmen that people were continuing to cross the border although Ethiopian government forces had intervened to stop the fighting. The clashes, in the Moyale area are thought to have been sparked by a simmering dispute over land rights.

Many of those who fled across the border into the Kenyan side of Moyale are having to sleep out in the open. The Red Cross says it is providing those who have been displaced with food, water and tarpaulins.

The United Nations has decided to temporarily relocate non-essential staff in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where tension remains high amid unrest that has killed seven.

A UN statement said it has decided to temporarily relocate, on a voluntary basis, non-essential international and national UN staff, affiliated organisations and their families.

It said serious disturbances and the imposition of a state of emergency prompted the move, which is being implemented on a voluntary basis.

Violence flared in Rakhine state after the murder of a Buddhist woman last month, followed by an attack on a bus carrying Muslims.

Rakhine state is named after the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist majority, but also has a sizeable Muslim population, including the Rohingya minority.

The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today favoured joint and coordinated efforts to deal with challenges of terrorism whatever its origin, whether internal or external. Inaugurating the annual conference of Chief Ministers on internal security in New Delhi, Dr. Singh said there is no question that the burden of the fight against terrorism falls largely on the states machinery. He said the Centre is ready to work with the states to put in place strong and effective institutional mechanisms to tackle this problem. The Prime Minister said proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre will be discussed on May 5th in a separate meeting as suggested by some Chief Ministers. Dr. Singh said in the last two years, the Integrated Action Plan has brought development to villages in the most backward and violence affected districts in the country. The Prime Minister warned that threats from terrorism, left wing extremism, religious fundamentalism and ethnic violence persist in the country. The Prime Minister described the internal security situation in the country has by and large been satisfactory since February last year for which the efforts of the states and the Centre need to be commended. Terming the task of dealing with the security challenges as a complex and onerous, Dr. Singh said it is an endeavour that requires the united effort of everyone. Talking about Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime minister said there has been a perceptible improvement in the security and law and order situation. Dr. Singh said the state witnessed the highest inflow of tourists and pilgrims during 2011. He said the Panchayat elections were successful and were more proof of the people’s desire to be able to lead normal lives free from the shadow of violence and terrorism. On left wing extremism, Dr. Singh said 2011 was better as compared to 2010 in terms of the number of deaths caused by Naxal violence. He said the situation in some of the North-Eastern states have remained complex. Dr. Singh said the pilferage of development funds by militant groups is hurting our efforts to improve the lives of the people of the region.