[Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 7.25 GMT] 

President Mahinda Rajapaksa says that he wants to drag his anti-government adversaries to the negotiating table, said the Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun in a news report titled "Sri Lanka ready to talk to Tamil rebels', published today (29).
 
"We are ready to negotiate," Rajapaksa said in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun on Nov. 15, the news report said.
 
It was the first interview granted by President Rajapaksa to a Japanese media organization since he became president in November 2005.
 
The President is scheduled to visit Japan next month, the first by a Sri Lankan leader in 11 years.
 
Excerpts from the news report:
 
"We put pressure on the group to give up its arms and enter the political mainstream. Terrorists must be wiped out from the Earth," Rajapaksa said.
 
Government forces have tried to weaken the LTTE through military engagement, trying to drive it into a situation in which it must choose dialogue.
 
The government has had some success, managing to bring eastern regions under control. However, there is no indication that the hard-line policy will eventually bring the LTTE back to the negotiating table. Some say the LTTE will never agree to resume the dialogue if it is in a position of weakness.
 
Whether dialogue can be renewed now depends on the content of a peace plan being worked out by a committee of leaders of political parties.
 
The devolution proposal, which is expected to serve as the basis for the peace negotiations, is supposed to have been decided upon by Dec. 15 this year. But Rajapaksa said the committee could not meet the deadline. He said that more time is needed to coordinate a deal between all the political parties.
 
"I hope they will give me this proposal sometime in January or February (of 2008)," he said.
 
He also said he wants the international community to put pressure on the LTTE to accept dialogue. By saying so, Rajapaksa expressed his hope for intermediation of the international community, especially Japan.
  
"In the areas that the LTTE once occupied, people's living standards must be raised," he said.
 
"Officials (from both countries) will discuss infrastructure development, education, health sector and farming (as the fields that will receive new
assistance from Japan)."

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Last Updated Date: November 29, 2007 - 7.25 GMT