Peiris says peace talks could resume next month

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 August 2003, 14:48 GMT]
The Cabinet Spokesman of the United National Front Government of Sri Lanka, Prof.G.L.Peiris, Thursday expressed confidence that peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam could resume next month as the latter is currently engaged in seeking legal advice from constitutional experts on the interim administrative structure for the northeast province, media sources said.

Prof.Peris, who is also the Constitutional Affairs Minister and the Chief Negotiator representing the GOSL in peace talks with the LTTE, in his weekly cabinet press briefing held Thursday, stressed, "My government will not agree to any proposal that appears to pave way for the division of the country.”

He said the UNF government is awaiting a response from the LTTE on the interim administrative structure proposal of the government. " The government believes that direct talks with LTTE would be more constructive than exchanging letters through facilitators," he added.

Minister Peiris dismissed several allegations leveled by the main opposition People’s Alliance against the GOSL’s interim administration proposal, saying they were totally baseless, media sources said.

According to the agreement reached between the then Indian High Commissioner and the LTTE leader in 1987, measures had been taken to grant the LTTE majority power in the internal administration, Mr. Peiris reminded.

The other ethnic groups would not be subjected to any unfairness and injustice if the LTTE secured majority power in the proposed interim administration. The UNF government has embarked on a clear decision on the structure of the interim administration, Mr. Peiris said.