Ranil hails Oslo agreement

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 August 2002, 18:48 GMT]
"The agreement reached between his government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to fix date for direct talks in September is a watershed in the peace process" said Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Thursday addressing the ruling United National Front parliamentary group.

He described the decision taken between the government delegation led by Minister Milinda Morogoda and LTTE political advisor Mr.Anton Balasingham in Oslo, Norway as an important and decisive step to strengthen the peace process.

Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe thanked the members of the UNF government and its constituent partners for the successful progress of the peace process even in the midst of various pressure campaigns and obstacles.

The Prime Minister cautioned government MPs that there might be delays and problems in taking forward the peace process.

"But every one should commit themselves to resolve the country’s burning problems by overcoming all obstacles", he said.

Meanwhile the Constitutional Affairs Minister Professor G.L.Peiris Thursday said that a four-member government delegation will participate in direct talks with the LTTE at Thailand in the middle of September. The leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Mr.Rauff Hakeem will be a member government delegation that will begin direct negotiations with the LTTE," Minister Peiris said.

A communiqué issued by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat Thursday states the United national Front government has decided to organise rallies in many parts the country in support of the peace process during the month of September.

(Photo: Mr.Anton Balasingham, the LTTE's political advisor and chief negotiator met Norway’s Foreign Minister Mr. Jan Petersen in Oslo, 14 August 2002.)