Large number of political parties express their consent to start peace talks
[12 Dec 2000]

In an interview conducted by a local news paper, spokesmen for nine political parties have revealed their consent to the government to start pace talks with the LTTE.

PA General Secretary and Minister of Agriculture, D. M. Jayaratne said :” The PA will agree to peace talks with the LTTE. It is also the thinking of the Government that there should not be conditions.”

According to General Secretary and Minister of Samurdhi, Parliamentary Affairs and Rural development and Deputy Minister of Finance, S. B. Dissanayake :” The Government will definitely be willing to negotiate peace with the LTTE strictly on the basis of the talks being unconditional and the LTTE giving up its quest for a separate state .”

NUA and SLMC Co-Leader and Internal and International Trade, Shipping Development and Muslim Affairs Minister Rauf Hakeem said :”We are all for peace. Now is the time to grab this opportunity.”

UNP media spokesman and Colombo district MP Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku said: “ The response of the UNP has always been for a negotiated settlement provided that there is consensus of all the political parties and all concerned groups along with the LTTE. If the LTTE seems to be genuine, the Government should grab the opportunity for peace talks.”

LSSP Politburo member S. Siriwardena said:” The time is right for the Government to start talks with the LTTE.

Communist party General Secretary Raja Collure said :” The stand of the Communist party is the same as that of the Government-we will support a negotiated settlement. We wish sincerely that the Government would have talks with the LTTE to successfully end this problem.”

TULF General Secretary R. Sampanthan said :” The TULF has always been for a negotiated settlement and we hope that the Government would soon begin the process as a solution for the settlement of the ethnic crisis.”

EPDP spokesman and Jaffna District MP S. Thavarajah said :” We welcome the proposals by the Government to have talks with the LTTE. We have no objections to these talks. However, the LTTE has not instilled sufficient confidence in the people and it is up to them to prove the sincerity of their intention.”

EPRLF General Secretary Suresh Premachandran said :” We will support the Government if the LTTE’s efforts are sincere. it is high time that a solution to this long drawn out conflict is evolved.”

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