UN intervention unwarranted:

Lanka's legal mechanism in order - Prof. G.L. Peiris

By Manjula FERNANDO

Newly appointed External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L.Peiris in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer says the main task of the External Affairs Ministry will be to inform the world outside of the 'exciting opportunities' available here with the eradication of terrorism and get their maximum contribution in the accelerated economic and social development of the country. Countering LTTE propaganda is second in his priority list.

Of the efforts being carried out to form a provisional government by LTTE residues, he said ". No country in the world has recognized it and no one has any intention of doing it. It is a mere charade. It has no substance and it has not got support from anyone. The whole effort is an empty meaningless exercise."

Q: What do you consider as the principal challenge of the External Affairs Ministry in the post conflict Sri Lanka?

A: The Principal challenge will be to make the maximum use of the opportunity presented to our country with the eradication of terrorism. Sri Lanka is back on the radar screen of the world. It is obvious in so many different fields, the most evident is tourism where there is exponential development which is taking place today.

Investment-flows to the country are increasing. Sri Lanka always had unique strengths. If we take tourism, the diversity which we can offer, the mountains the beaches, ancient ruins and all that are monumental. But we could not take advantage of these strengths due to the terrorism that

prevailed. Now it has been confined to the past.

The main task of the External Affairs Ministry will be to inform the world outside of the exciting opportunities available and get them involved in the accelerated economic and social development of the country.

I would see that as the main challenge, reaching out to Governments and the private sector of other countries and getting them enthused and interested.

Another challenge will be to inform the foreign Governments and the public of those countries of the real situation in Sri Lanka in the post conflict scenario. Although the military action against the LTTE is over the LTTE is active in a variety of other fields. They are transferring their attention from the field of battle to diplomacy.

Q: The terrorism experts allege that there is hardly any strategy within the External Affairs Ministry to terminate the LTTE's international support network?

A: What we need to do is to make our missions abroad effective instruments to combat hostile propaganda and project a proper image of the country. Of course that will depend on the circumstances in each country. I don't think you can have a strategy that can be applied mechanically across the board. So we have to consider the nature of the challenge in each country and design our response appropriately.

In this ministry we receive daily reports from our missions abroad on the kind of propaganda that is being carried on, and the activities these people are engaged in. We respond very quickly. Yesterday and the day before we had information that a group of people going to Capital of Venezuela, Caracas to make representations to Venezuelan Government with fabricated information that we were harassing minorities, etc.

We quickly instructed our ambassador in Cuba to travel to Caracas and talk to the Venezuelan Government. She has now brought to their notice the true situation in Sri Lanka. We will be swift in our actions against the LTTE elements.

Q: Will you continue to pursue LTTE proscriptions overseas?

A: LTTE is already proscribed in many countries. There is no change with regard to this. LTTE does not exist in Sri Lanka in its former military state. There is no way they can raise their head in this country again. But their other activities are being carried out overseas making use of the large sums of money that they have accumulated over the years and their sophisticated communications network. But there will be no change in their proscription.

Q: An Australian Court recently released three convicted LTTE fund raisers on suspended sentences on the grounds that LTTE is not a banned organization in its soil?

A: The reason is not the fact that they have not been proscribed in Australia. They are proscribed in many countries. Even in countries they are not proscribed if they engage in criminal activities, resorting to

intimidation and duress to collect money, threatening people they can be put behind bars. If they can prove that they are guilty of contraventions of Australian law whether the organisation is proscribed or not there will be prosecutions against them.

Q: LTTE is a designated terrorist organization in over 30 countries. How come LTTE remnenets are allowed to hold open elections to elect members for a so called "Provisional Trans-National Government" ? One of their principal calls is to establish a separate eelam state.

A: All these countries did warn to us. They are in no way supporting these activities and that they will in fact do everything they can to discourage these actions. We do not know of a single instance where a

foreign country has supported the holding of these elections.

But it is equally important, that apart from Governments, we should keep the public of these countries informed; The atrocities committed by the LTTE, the fact that the Government of Mahinda Rajapaksa made many attempts to engage LTTE in dialogue, the current efforts to revive the economy, to reach out to minority, etc.

The Government is now talking to minority parties.

What is the position of the Government on this proposed provisional Trans-National Government?

A: The position of the Sri Lankan Government and the position of all the Governments where the so called elections are being held, that these are not proper elections at all and that there is no question of anybody recognizing a provisional government. No country in the world has recognized it and no one has any intention of doing it. It is a merecharade. It has no substance and it has not got support from anyone. The whole effort is an empty meaningless exercise.

Q:What will be your approach towards the Tamil Diaspora?

A: The challenge is to convince the Diaspora that they have a role to play in Sri Lanka, We don't ask them to be alienated from the situation in Sri Lanka. They must involve themselves in a different way. We would like them to get involved in the development of the country. And send money, if they like, to the North and East to build the infrastructure; roads, highways, irrigation systems and build schools. They can contribute positively and fruitfully. What is required is an attitudinal change on their part.

Q:The UN spokesperson last weekend announced that the Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is going ahead with the Advisory panel on Sri Lanka and that he was not only naming the members but also preparing the terms of reference?

A: The Government’s position is very clear on that matter. There is absolutely no reason for the UN to take this action because within Sri Lanka we have taken the initiative in setting up a domestic mechanism in keeping with our own laws. President Rajapaksa announced this when he addressed the diplomatic community in Colombo on Monday.

The Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne in Parliament also announced the appointment of a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. Its terms of reference cover many of the matters which the Secretary General’s office spoke of. Sri Lanka is a country with a rich legal tradition. We have a high degree of legal expertise and there is no need for outside intervention.

We are setting up a mechanism that fully addresses these issues and we do not think intervention on the part of the UN is warranted at all.

We also want to point out that the action taken in Sri Lanka was not in anyway due to external pressure. Palihakkara who was the then UN representative in New York made a clear statement in the UN with regard to the establishment of the Reconciliation Commission long before the SG’s office contemplating this course of action.

Q:President Rajapaksa on Monday spoke of a fresh attempt to level war crimes charges against Sri Lanka. Why is it that the international community is hesitant to recognize our efforts in ending terrorism and reconciliation?

A: It’s a question of our reaching out to them, explaining and giving them full information. There has been threat and talk of bringing war crimes charges for a long time but it has never happened. It is because the groups that are friendly to the LTTE are exerting a lot of pressure. But the Government’s and the multilateral institutions who are at the receiving end, have not done what the LTTE allies would like them to do. That is because they have taken an objective view of the situation in Sri Lanka so far. The Government has taken many initiatives during the past few weeks; the relaxation of the emergency, pardoning of Tissanayagam and establishment of the Reconciliation Commission. The UNICEF has declared its satisfaction with the way the LTTE child soldiers were handled. Now there are no child soldiers at all.

There has been considerable progress in many areas. When one takes into account all the development that has taken place, there is no justification to pursue war crimes charges against Sri Lanka.

And just as much as it has not happened so far, it will be our responsibility to maintain a constant dialogue with these Governments to explain such a course of action is wrong and unnecessary.

Q: Government took action recently to scale down emergency regulations. How will it reflect on our foreign relations?

A: We have done the right thing for the right reason at the right time. The emergency regulations could not have been scaled down earlier because that would have been a great risk. But the President was eager to do away with the regulations that were not necessary at the earliest given opportunity. The country has been governed by the ER for four years and eight months. Because of the rapid return to normalcy we were convinced that many of the regulations were not necessary. We have done away with it, retaining only a residue that is necessary for the time being. Even with those regulations we do not intend to retain them for a long time.

The response to that from the international community is very warm and positive. These are all beneficial developments.

Q: You have spoken of an economic war being waged against Sri Lanka. The GSP+ issue and the delay in the IMF loan’s third tranche - are these also connected to this economic war?

A: There has been great deal of hostile propaganda resorted to by persons who wish to harm the Sri Lankan State.

But as far as GSP+ is concerned we have identified the issues that need to be addressed and there was a group of four senior officials who went to Brussels on 15 and 16 March to start discussions and the second round discussions will take place on 20 and 21 May. We are satisfied with the way the talks are moving forward and we very much hope the European Commission will recognize the country’s achievements and our success in dealing with very difficult problems in a complex environment. I am sure they will understand the fact that no good is going to be done in penalizing innocent people, whose livelihoods depend on the apparel sector.

Q:Bi-lateral relations with Britain was very much strained under Brown’s Labour government. There is a new Government in place now. Is this a positive development for Sri Lanka?

A: New beginning is always refreshing and encouraging. We will renew our contacts with the new Government many of whose members we know. Some of them have visited Sri Lanka and they are familiar with the ground situation. They know very well the developments which have occurred in this country in recent months. We think there is a firm foundation for commencing a useful dialogue with them.

Q:You are one of the members of the Constitutional Reforms Committee. We heard the recommendations of this committee is to be tabled in Parliament in two months ?

A: The President’s wish is to use the period between now and 19th of November when he will be taking oaths for the second time, he would like to use this period to put in place the constitutional amendments that are necessary.

And also to establish the legal framework within which his second administration can move forward rapidly towards the attainment of his objectives.

What we plan to do is, within the next three months to present to Parliament the constitutional changes that we believed to be necessary. The next three months will be used to modernize the laws so that the Government’s task with regard to accelerated economic development will be made easier.

Q:What are the main features of this reformed constitution ?

A: That is under discussion by Party Leaders. There was a meeting of Party leaders yesterday. We will be making firm decisions about the nature of the amendments that are required. And within a very short period we will be presenting it to Parliament. And then the public will have the opportunity to comment on this.

Q:Does it include electoral reforms and a second chamber?

A: Yes, all those are subjects under consideration. They may not all be presented at the same time. We may deal with different aspects of constitutional reforms at different times.

But electoral reforms and a second chamber are certainly topics that we are addressing in the context of a constitutional reform initiative.

Q: You will be leaving on Friday (Prof.Peiris was interviewed on Wednesday) to Iran with the President to attend the G-15 summit where Sri Lanka will assume the Chair. What is the significance of this event?

A: G-15 consist of a group of developing countries with their own priorities and preoccupations. All these countries are today one of the stronger economies in the world.

They have a certain point of view on matters such as access to global markets for their goods, the reduction of protectionism. They no longer depend on aid. What they require is free access to world market so that they can earn foreign exchange, develop their economies and provide employment for their people.

The other area is south-south cooperation. If these countries can come to a common position and carry on a dialogue with the North. That is a source of strength. All these countries are interested in reforms of the Bretten Woods institutions. That is the world Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

These are the institutions set up at the end of the second World War. And there has been many significant developments since then.

This is a common interest of the Group of 15.

Another area the G-15 would take a lively interest is the issue of global warming. All these countries are affected by the climate change and they want their collective voice to be heard.

President Rajapaksa will assume Chair of the G-15 over the weekend.

It is a useful opportunity for Sri Lanka to make the world aware of our own achievements in the recent past; defeat of terrorism, rebuilding of our economy, steps to unite all communities in the post conflict scenario and the process of healing that we have initiated.

Q: Was there any suggestions to the President discouraging the taking up of G-15 Chair?

A: No absolutely not. There was no issue of that kind at all and it is a good thing for Sri Lanka at this moment to take over this position and there has not been any suggestions to the contrary.