|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 19 January 2003 |
 |
|
 |
News |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Japan pleased with progress in peace process by Ananth Palakidnar The special envoy of the Government of Japan Yasushi Akashi expressed satisfaction over the progress of the peace process and assured that Japan would speed up its assistance to rebuild the war-torn North and the East and the entire country. Akashi was speaking to the press at the conclusion of his three-day visit to Sri Lanka at the Hilton yesterday. He said that since his last visit to Sri Lanka last year, significant progress has been made with regard to the peace process this time and lots of attention would be paid in the future to help the entire Sri Lanka with the assistance from the international community." The international community should embark into a concrete action plan to support the humanitarian and other development programs", he said. Commenting further on the peace process he said: "It's not a smooth journey. The ups and downs will appear on the path. But with the recent third round in Oslo and the fourth round in Thailand I have realised that the Government and the LTTE has reached a significant point and the LTTE's announcement of accepting a Federal type of solution renouncing a separate state is somewhat remarkable," Akashi said. He also said that at the June donor confab in Japan the progress of the peace process would be discussed more extensively and Japan would also set up a venue outside Tokyo to have a session of peace talks between the LTTE and the Government. The envoy commenting on his meetings he had had with LTTE political wing leader S. P. Thamilchelvan and the theoretician Anton Balasingham said that both were sincerely committed to the peace process. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
