Ethnic conflict: TNA to meet President for talks today

The Tamil National Alliance is to take part in the talks with President Ranil Wickremesinghe today at the Presidential Secretariat to reach an understanding to resolve ethnic conflict following a Presidential invitation extended earlier this month, the party said. 

The party said that it is "ready to constructively engage in talks with the government to settle the Tamil National Question within a specified time limit," a statement issued by R. Sampanthan, Parliamentary Group Leader of TNA said. 

The party also stressed that it would participate in the talks based on the principle that North and East are the areas of historical habitation of the Tamil-speaking people as acknowledged locally and internationally and in the Indo-Lanka Accord and was made one unit on that basis. 

"We are not prepared to hold any discussions that go contrary to that basis," the statement added. 

Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe is scheduled to meet TNA today ahead of meeting other Tamil political parties represented in the Parliament to find a lasting solution to the conflict. 

In his May Day address, President Wickremesinghe stressed the importance of addressing the ethnic problem and reaching an agreement by the end of the year. He emphasized the need for all parties to come together and work towards a resolution that benefits all communities in Sri Lanka.