“Freedom Alliance promises an inclusive and participatory peace process” - Kadirgamar
[February 27, 2004 - 11.15 GMT] 

“Within a short time of the formation of the Freedom Alliance govt. President Kumaratunga will call for the recommencement of the peace talks with the LTTE and also propose time frames for solving the problems concerned,” UPFA spokesman Lakshman Kadirgamar told media today. The media briefing was held at Hotel Galadari, Colombo.

Here are some of the excerpts from the briefing:

Q: You had a lot of pre-conditions before for the talks such as you would not lift the ban until there was substantial progress… will those conditions you wanted to have before … would you have them this time? Would you impose the ban back on the Tigers? [CNN]

A: The question of ban doesn’t arise any longer.

There are no pre-conditions in the sense that unless you do A, B and C we won’t come to the table. If that is the meaning of pre-conditions there’ll be no such pre-conditions. But when the talks begin, they will be comprehensive and there’ll be many matters that we would be talking about and if we are dissatisfied with something or the other we would say so.

Q: You talk of an “Inclusive and participatory process”. Is that a guarantee that if you come into power that you will involve the opposition in talks? Because that would be an inclusive approach.  [Hindustan Times]

A: President is firmly of the view that by ‘inclusive’ she means literally inclusive. When we talk of ‘inclusive’ we literally mean there’ll be nation-wide consultation. There’s no other way.

UNF peace process was highly secretive and exclusive that even the members of the cabinet didn’t know… let alone parliament.

Q: What is UPFA’s position on the ISGA proposals by the LTTE? Would that be a basis for negotiations? [Hindu]

A: ISGA proposals is not the ‘be all and the end all’. There are many matters in the ISGA on which the PA made very clear that they are unable to agree with but we have said that everything is capable of negotiations. 

Q: Are all members of the alliance committed to a federal solution? –[BBC]

A: For the moment there are two positions – the SLFP and certain other elements of the Alliance are in favour of devolution and JVP has said they are in favour of decentralisation. But all of us jointly have agreed that we would consult the people.

Q: When you say “Broad and inclusive negotiations” do you have practical steps as to how to get to that? – [AFP]

A: This is not something we can speak about unilaterally. We cannot state this is the way we are going to do the talks. That would not be a responsible approach. There will have to be pre-talks, discussions on how to do it bearing in mind our principles. Our approach is going to have very wide consultations.

Q: Suppose you come into power and the UNF becomes the opposition… would the UNF be a part of the negotiating team? – [Hindustan Times]

A: We cannot tell you the answer to a question like that right now. What I can say is that certainly the President intends to consult the UNF in a manner in which the UNF never consulted.

Q: According to a lot of former cabinet ministers the salmon-eating country is pretty upset with what has happened to them. Do you think they will continue to be the mediator or you as the new independent group in the Parliament would opt for someone else? Some curry-eating country? 

A: At the moment the situation is… the Alliance and the President do not contemplate any drastic change of that kind. And here the situation is one sovereign government dealing with another. And in the world of diplomacy, sovereigns have a certain way of behaving, and sovereigns are respectful of each other. But certainly I can say this… when the time comes for the talks to start and the question of Norway’s role is there… we will be making it clear to Norway as we have done in the past, what we are not satisfied with. So we will have a very honest discussion. So there again I would like to underline this fact – that our approach to all this is going to be pretty open and frank. No secretive procedures.

Q: Would you also like to see Tamil groups other than the LTTE involved in the negotiations, in this wide consultative process? [BBC]

A: No we have not taken the position that other Tamil groups will be actual participants in the negotiating process. You can’t have a negotiation with a large number of people. I don’t think that’s possible. But we have made it clear that we will be consulting them… certainly the Tamils and the Muslims. But if you are talking of the composition of the negotiating table, I don’t see at that table a large number of participants. That does not mean that they would be excluded. By no means.

Q: What is UPFA’s stand on the international safety net?

A: Honestly … to this date I do not understand what this international safety net means.

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Last Updated Date: February 27, 2004  - 11.15 GMT.