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Govt assures Eastern security

by Manjula Fernando and Rajmi Manatunga

The Government yesterday assured that it takes utmost responsibility to ensure the security of Eastern residents and the Trincomalee Harbour adding that it was ready for any contingency in future.

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet press briefing yesterday, Government Chief Negotiator and Minister Prof.G.L.Peiris denied that the LTTE has set up 13 new camps in the Government controlled areas in the East as claimed by the Opposition and called the move a 'spoiler-tactic' at a time when the peace process was about to resume.

"Some LTTE members are in Berne studying the federal system, a structure proposed at the ground breaking Oslo meeting in November last year. This is a sign that they are still ready for a settlement within a united nation," the Minister said adding that the Opposition action was 'alarming, destructive and irresponsible.'

Peace Secretariat Chief Bernard Goonatilleke and his LTTE counterpart Pulidevan were involved in studying the elements of federal system and the mechanisms of power sharing.

According to Prof. Peiris they will not take up the LTTE counter proposals at his meeting arranged by the Swiss Foreign Ministry.

The Minister also charged that the opposition was trying to mislead the Indian Government with false information, saying they used a selected group of media to create a controversy over an imaginary issue hoping to provoke the public.

He said: "The true position in the East is that these camps except Manirasakulam, either had been in existence before the sig ning of the ceasefire agreement or are not in the areas effectively controlled by the Go vernment Forces."

"Defence Minister Tilak Marapana is satisfied that he is able to ensure security in the East and the Trincomalee Port in any contingency," Prof.Peiris said adding that the security of the Harbour was not in any jeopardy.

"We had always been taking contingency plans but these contingencies cannot be divulged to media," the Cabinet spokesman said adding that nothing is left to chance. The Minister said the public were however, too smart to fall for such tactics. "We know that the people of are solidly behind the peace process and are capable of making their own judgement on these issues".

He said it was likely that the LTTE's counter proposals on the Interim administration would be handed over to the Government within the next two weeks, following which the facilitator would prepare the ground work for face-to-face talks.

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