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The virtues of talking directly

The peace process has been taken several notches higher with LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran's reported agreement to hold direct negotiations with the Lankan Government.

It is not clear as yet whether this consent implies that the LTTE leader would be personally involved in the early stages of the negotiations. Nevertheless it could be presumed right away, if these reports are right, that direct talks between top rankers of both sides would get under way if all goes well, with no involvement of intermediaries.

These are welcome developments because the ideal in these situations consists of direct, face-to-face and frank negotiations among the foremost decision-makers of both sides. While establishing the sincerity of purpose and credibility of the parties to the conflict such an operational mode would enable important decisions to be taken by them with the least delay and hassle.

Thus is a vast improvement registered over initial efforts at negotiating a settlement to the conflict in 1994. During that round of negotiations, the government side in particular failed to establish a minimum level of credibility by including among its negotiators persons who wielded no political power. The other side couldn't have been faulted for wondering whether the then government negotiators could take substantive decisions and act expeditiously.

These lessons of the past should be learnt assiduously by both parties to the conflict. There is no getting away from the fact that negotiating teams should be endowed with the necessary decision-making power and help establish the credibility of the protagonists to the conflict. These are inviolable principles in conflict resolution.

While we are happy at the accelerated pace at which peace moves are being made, it is crucially important that an agenda for talks is drawn-up to the mutual acceptance of the parties and that negotiations are conducted within a specified time-frame.

Indefinite, indecisive and prolonged negotiations are bound to be rejected by the people. This time round, the people want a just solution to this vexed issue and that too with the least possible delay.

The UNF's resounding victory at the recent local government election is proof that the people are solidly behind the Government's policy of peace by peaceful means.

The magnitude of the victory is a pointer to the urgency with which this request is being made of the authorities. Delays and foot-dragging in the peace process could prove damaging, in these circumstances.

The time's ripe to clinch this issue which has been bleeding the country white.

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