President says political solution his only aim

In interview with Al Jazeera

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared that a political solution remains his only aim to the current conflict while stressing on the need for weakening Prabhakaran militarily.

In an interview with the Al-Jazeera TV channel, President Rajapaksa said his increasing emphasis on military action was only a minor element in the pursuit of a political compromise.

Asked by the interviewer if immediate negotiation depends on prior military victory, the President was emphatic that it was not so and that a political solution was his only aim but at the same time Prabhakaran must be weakened militarily. He said though the LTTE do not have to surrender arms they must stop fighting first.

"I am ready if Prabhakaran is ready. We have said that very clearly. I am ready but I am not prepared to kneel before the terrorism of the LTTE. I have said that many times," the President said. "If I am attacked, I will counter attack. That is what we have done on every occasion."

"Until the terrorists are weakened, they will not come for talks," he said.

However, he strongly rejects the suggestion that this amounts to pursuit of a "military solution". According to the Lankan Head of State, emphasis on military action is a minor element in the pursuit of a political compromise.

Asked if this military weakening/political solution was even vaguely plausible the President said he has no doubts "yes, and sooner than most people realise". "I must say this very clearly. We have cleared the East from terrorism".

The President said it won't be long, before Prabhakaran realises that he has no choice but to negotiate. "We have weakened them. When he is weak he talks about peace. When he becomes strong, then he wants war."

The President accused European leaders in particular of callously stopping humanitarian aid for tsunami victims.

Sri Lanka "is not a colony of England, America or any other country" he said, accusing those who criticise his policies of interfering in Sri Lanka's internal affairs.

The President also categorically denied charges of abductions .

"Many of those people who are said to have been abducted are in England, Germany, gone abroad," he said..

"They have made complaints that they were abducted, but when they return they don't say."Asked whether talk of a humanitarian intervention, or a Kosovo-style imposed separation, disturbs him, he says there is only one country that can acceptably involve itself in Sri Lanka - the giant next door, India. India's support is necessary," he says, "There must be more support from the Indian government."

The President said all differences that existed between the two communities have now been buried.

The real divide, he says, is now between the terrorists and the rest of the country.

"Prabhakaran does not represent the aspirations of the Tamil people," he said.

"What he represents, is the interests of a small group. Not the needs of the Tamil people."

The Tigers, he said , are "not a Tamil terrorist organisation, there are Sinhalese, Muslims and Tamils in this group."