The tone of the LTTE letter is disdainful - Kadirgamar

[June 6, 2003 - 9.30 GMT]  

Former Foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar said today “the tone adopted by the LTTE in its letter, borders on the contemptuous”.  

Addressing the weekly press briefing at the Opposition Leader’s Office he said that it is not the way to write or deal with the elected Prime Minister of a sovereign state.

“This not at all a party political point we are making. Every time I read this letter, I get deeply disturbed and almost angry at the way in which Balasingham, acting on behalf of the LTTE is writing to and dealing with the sovereign Government of Sri Lanka,” said Kadirgamar.

He said even in tough negotiations, there is at least a modicum of proprietary and niceties in the use of language. The LTTE seems to have abandoned that kind of approach completely. Theirs’ is an approach akin to a school master who seems to say “I asked you to write an essay on one particular subject, but you have come with something which I did not ask you to write at all.”

The former Foreign Minister said the response that the Government gets from Balasingham is always in tough language. The distance is very far and coming back to the centre is not very easy. If the LTTE is taking this stand, they are doing it for very deliberate reasons. Therefore, the people of the country must ask what they are really saying.

He said it was very important to know what proposals the LTTE made to the Government.

“However, Balasingham categorically says that his leadership proposed an interim administrative framework and innovative structure. Interim administration is a very far reaching effect on the destiny of the country.”

The former Minister said that there are some misconceptions on the interim administration idea. “It is also said that President Chandrika Kumaratunga too offered an interim administration. But it was very clear; the only type of interim administration that she offered was within the Constitution of Sri Lanka. The PA draft constitution of 2000, chapter 28, specifically deals with an interim administration. Interim truly means a step towards finality. Interim is the opposite of final. Therefore, the interim administration means an administration that is going to work towards the implementation of the final solution.”

You can’t have an interim administration with a standing Army and a standing Navy. How can any sovereign state give an interim administration and allow it to be dominated by the LTTE as they want it? The whole world knows the LTTE has a standing army and standing navy. So if we give an interim administration, the LTTE is going to have a legal Army and Navy. No sovereign state can do this. The stand of the PA is that the way to deal with this matter is quickly go into core issues and fundamentally the structure of the state. If we are able to find a political solution quicker rather that later, an interim administration is not a serious problem.

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Last Updated Date: June 6, 2003  - 9.30 GMT.