Southern consensus, a prerequisite to resume talks- Thinakural

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 November 2004, 09:31 GMT]
"Is the Sri Lanka Government, which tells the world that LTTE is unwilling to talk about permanent solution, prepared to talk to the Tigers with clarity of purpose and in one voice? If not, is the government at least prepared to acknowledge that its call for talk on permanent solution is not genuine?" questioned the editorial of the popular Tamil daily Thinakural referring to the annual speech of the LTTE leader.

The editorial said that LTTE's position on ISGA is "rooted in the reality that the Tamils will not receive any permanent solution from the southern polity which stands divided and confused."

"Mr. Pirapaharan says that talks regarding permanent peace would be meaningful only if there is consensus coupled with, clear and straight vision in the southern Political parties on the question of the fundamental aspirations of the Tamils" the edit noted.

"This view of the LTTE leader is a challenge to the southern Political forces and particularly to Sri Lanka's President Kumaratunge and to the leaders of the JVP, who are partners in sharing governmental power and who insist that any arrangement for Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) must be part of the process for final solution", the paper opined.

The edit further noted that Mr. Pirapaharan has re-affirmed that there is no change in his stand that the negotiations can commence only on the basis of ISGA proposals put forward by the LTTE on 31st October 2003.

"The International Community which shows concern about the problems of Tamils must take note of this stand of the Liberatoin Tigers and pressure the government to commence talks," the paper said.