Venue being negotiated

Poll will not hamper CFA talks

by Manjula Fernando and Ranil Wijayapala

The Government yesterday stressed that the forthcoming Presidential Election will not hamper the attempts to hold one-on-one talks with the LTTE to review the Ceasefire Agreement.

"The Government and the LTTE are negotiating a venue for the talks and once this is settled the State delegation that will participate in the CFA review will be nominated," Government Spokesman Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said.

"There is no uncertainty on continuing the ongoing efforts," De Silva told journalists at the weekly Cabinet news briefing, adding that the Government's recent proposal to have talks in Omanthai has been turned down by the LTTE, which has once again proposed an overseas venue. "We will respond to this after the President returns from China."

Immediately after the brutal assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar by a suspected LTTE sniper, the Government expressed its deep concern to Nordic facilitators emphasising the grave impact it will have on the CFA and the Peace process.

The Government called for urgent discussions to review certain shortfalls in the CFA which hamper effective implementation on the ground. The LTTE agreed promptly suggesting the talks should be held in Oslo.

"Our view had always been that the talks should continue at a local venue. At the moment, there is no shift in this position," the Government Spokesman said.

When the Government declined for talks abroad the LTTE later suggested Kilinochchi as the venue to which the government responded suggesting a more neutral ground - Omanthai. Minister De silva said they were continuing their efforts to begin talks with the LTTE adding that they were not rigid on their demands. "Our stance is subject to change with the situation," he responded to a question by the media.