'Open discussion needed on LTTE's proposals' - Wickremesinghe

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 October 2003, 15:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe said Sunday that LTTE's response to the Sri Lanka Government proposals on the Interim Administrative (IA) structure for the northeast, which is expected to be submitted by the end of this month, needs to be discussed openly, political sources in Colombo said.

Mr.Wickremasinghe addressing a public meeting Sunday at Bentota, a tourist town down south of the country said open discussion on the LTTE counter proposals is imperative if Sri Lanka is to achieve lasting peace, media sources said.

"My government and the LTTE would have a separate discussion the latter's counter proposals at a date that will be fixed once the LTTE submits its response", said Mr.Wickremasinghe.

"The Peoples Alliance (PA) wants the LTTE counter proposals to be reviewed within the framework of a final political solution of the ethnic conflict. We want to encourage open discussion of the proposals by all parties," said Mr.Wickremasinghe.

The concept of establishing an interim administration for the northeast is not a new idea. The issue was discussed during the past two general elections, said Mr.Wickremasinghe.

"The Muslims are also hoping to join the talks with their own proposals on interim administration. I am not aware of the contents of the LTTE response to government proposals. We only know what the media has speculated," said Mr.Wickremasinghe.