| Front
Page |
||||
|
Observer status
for CBK's rep
Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremesinghe told journalists in New York yesterday the
President had not clearly explained what she wanted. The Prime Minister said he had directed Minister Milinda Moragoda to meet the President and find out exactly what she wanted conveyed to the LTTE. This meeting had been arranged by Presidential Advisor and former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. But the President had failed to keep the appointment and instead went to the south for a holiday with her son. The Prime Minister said that the President was making charges or suggestions and then backing out, thus it was difficult for the government to assess what she really wanted. Before flying to Thailand, Minister Moragoda said the talks would mark a historic and important step forward. The focus would be to determine modalities, the agenda and the frequency of future meetings, he said. As for the LTTE, a source who spoke on the telephone from Kilinochchi, said the crucial issues like resettlement of thousands of displaced people in the North and East as well as rehabilitation programmes would come up as matters of high priority. The ceremonial session will open in the morning at Ambassador Hotel at Jomtieu. It is to be televised live by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation. Reports from Bangkok last evening said the four-member Sri Lankan delegation accompanied by seven officials and LTTE's chief negotiator Anton Balasingham arrived in Thailand last afternoon. Soon after the Sri Lankan delegation arrived, they left for Sattahip, the venue of the talks. Dr. Balasingham and his Australian-born wife Adele arrived ahead of two other LTTE delegates who are travelling from the United States and Australia. "We will initially work out an agenda for the next round of talks," Minister G. L. Peiris told reporters during his trip to Thailand. "Decisions may not come in the first round. This is going to be a long process, but we are confident that we can make progress along the way," he said. Meanwhile with tight security enforced around Sattahip naval base for the peace talks, a military helicopter is standing by for any emergency, especially in view of Dr. Balasingham's health condition. Some 240 journalists from all over the world, including 35 from Sri Lanka and a large number from South Asian countries, are covering the peace talks which have turned out to be a mega event for the media. Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said Thailand had finalised all arrangements with the police and the military providing tight security and the Navy providing even the food for the delegates at the Sattahip base. He said Thailand hoped the talks would go smoothly. In a significant development yesterday, four Tamil parties which are not aligned to the Tamil National Alliance closed ranks with the main Tamil party in declaring support for the peace initiative. The four Tamil political parties - the EPDP, the PLOTE, the EPRLF Perumal faction and the EROS - yesterday agreed to back the peace process as the four-member government negotiating team flew to Thailand for peace talks. These Tamil parties yesterday adopted a resolution assuring that they would not take any step that would disturb the peace process. The parties said they would contribute towards the peace efforts and also to find ways to strengthen and forge ahead with it. "We had just one meeting and decided that we will support the peace process, but we will emphasis that democracy should prevail in whatever decision the parties reach," PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Siddharthan told The Sunday Times. The parties discussed the realisation of the long-standing aspirations of the Tamil people to ensure democracy. pluralism and human rights. "We also discussed ways to bring about harmonious relationship amongst the various communities to forge ahead in the direction of finding a permanent resolution, whilst thinking about an interim solution," Mr. Siddharthan said. The meeting was attended by EPDP leader Douglas Devananda who had been critical of the LTTE. The government delegation for the talks consists of ministers G. L. Peiris, Milinda Moragoda and Rauff Hakeem and Peace Secretariat Chief Bernard Gunatillake. The LTTE delegation led by Anton Balasingham includes his wife Adele, Vishwantah Rudrakumar and Dr. J. Maheshwaran. Meanwhile Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in New York today to discuss bilateral issues and brief the Indian leader on the peace process. The Premier who arrived in New York yesterday will also be meeting UN Secretary General Kofi Annan after he addresses the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. According to officials accompanying the premier, Mr. Wickremesinghe will appeal to the world community to give concrete support to Sri Lanka's peace process by bringing in more investments and helping in other ways to rebuild and develop the country. This would be the focus of the Premier's speech at the General Assembly, they said. The one week tour of the Prime Minister will also include a visit to the New York Stock Exchange and Wall Street trading floors. |
||||
Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
