Lanka prepares proposals to present during talks with LTTE

Lanka prepares proposals to present during talks with LTTE
UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

COLOMBO, FEBRUARY 23: Expressing optimism that Norway-brokered talks between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE would be successful, Justice, Constitutional and Ethnic Affairs Minister G L Peiris said a set of ``implementable'' devolution proposals have been almost finalised to be presented during the talks.

He however cautioned that ``facilitation'' of the talks by Norway were not a substitute for the ``will'' that had to be created among the parties involved in the decades-old hostility. Speaking to a group of Colombo-based foreign correspondents here on Tuesday evening, Prof Peiris echoed the government's admission that without talking to LTTE no peace could be achieved. For this, a third party was needed to facilitate the process and both the government and LTTE accepted Norway to play such a role. On the opposition United National Party (UNP) decision not to talk to the government on the new set of constitutional proposals, Prof Peiris said, ``even without them (UNP), the government is going to talk to the LTTE.'' Prof Peiris, a key figure in the Constitution-making process, was hopeful that the UNP would participate in the talks with the government after going through the proposals. He denied reports that the peace initiative of the government has been sabotaged by the Opposition and reiterated that,``the process is very much on tracks.'' Refuting the UNP charge that the Government was formulating an entirely new set of Constitutional proposals deviating from the original proposals made in 1997, Prof Peiris said that in view of a lot of developments having taken place during the last two-and-half years, it was but natural that several new proposals were incorporated.

``Whether the UNP is delaying the process is not at all an issue. What is more important is that the LTTE must play a role and without its participation, it is very difficult to bring peace,'' the minister said. Prof Peiris would not say anything on the government's thinking in case the LTTE totally rejected the proposals.