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| Sunday, 9 May 2004 |
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Govt., LTTE two principal parties at negotiating table The United People's Freedom Alliance, in a statement on the eve of the arrival of the top level Norwegian team headed by Foreign Minister Jan Peterson for talks with a view to kick-starting the peace process which has been suspended since April 2003, makes clear its position that the two principle parties at the negotiation table can only be the Government and the LTTE. The UPFA will negotiate with the LTTE, bearing in mind the concerns it had during the past two years under Ranil Wickremesinghe's UNF Government, it said. The SLFP and the JVP have emphasized in their Memorandum of Understanding that "a negotiated settlement of the ethnic question should be found through a correct dialogue with the LTTE and the other relevant groups and communities so that political solutions which will safeguard the political equality and democratic rights of the Sinhalese, Tamil Muslim and other communities, will be arrived at ... both parties agree to enter into a process of political dialogue with the LTTE and all other relevant groups and communities on the correct basis, including respecting their rights and eliminating inequality and mistrust among them and consolidating democracy. Both parties further agree to go forward to a final solution and abide by the results of the negotiation process and the wish of the majority of the people". The text of the statement issued by the General Secretary Susil Prem Jayanth : "Negotiations concerning the resolution of the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka have always been conducted between the Government of the day and the LTTE, except at the Thimpu talks. On all such occasions the Government and the LTTE have been the principal negotiating partners. This was so during the time of President Premadasa, during the first administration of President Kumaratunga, and during the two year regime in which former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government was conducting the negotiations on behalf of Sri Lanka. This historical fact is reflected in the current Ceasefire Agreement which was signed only by the leader of the LTTE and the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Thus, taking into account political and ground realities concerning the conduct of the negotiations, it is clear that the two principal parties at the negotiation table can only be the Government and the LTTE. It is on this basis that Foreign Minister Kadirgamar was correctly quoted by the "Island newspaper on 30th April 2004 under the headline "Govt. recognizes by implication LTTE as sole representative of Tamils". "No other Tamil party has objected to talks being conducted by the Government with the LTTE. The question whether members of the TNA have been validly elected to Parliament is another matter. That question is presently before the Courts. The fact that the Government and the LTTE have been involved in negotiations does not preclude the Government of the day from consulting widely all relevant parties and groups with a view to reaching a comprehensive resolution of the ethnic problem". The release said: "The SLFP and the JVP have emphasized in their Memorandum of Understanding that "a negotiated settlement of the ethnic question should be found through a correct dialogue with the LTTE and the other relevant groups and communities so that political solutions which will safeguard the political equality and democratic rights of the Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim and other communities, will be arrived at .... both parties agree to enter process of political dialogue with the LTTE and all other relevant groups and communities on the correct basis, including respecting their rights and eliminating inequality and mistrust among them and consolidating democracy. Both parties further agree to go forward to a final solution and abide by the results of the negotiation process and the wish of the majority of the people". "The Freedom Alliance will proceed with the negotiations with the LTTE, bearing in mind the concerns it had with regard to the negotiating process during the past two years under Ranil Wickremesinghe's government and taking into account, the aspirations of all communities and the need to preserve democracy and human rights of all citizens and without relegating the security, independence and territorial integrity of the country to a secondary importance. The Alliance Government thus expects to create an atmosphere of confidence in which all communities can live in amity and peace within one country". |
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