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It is up to Govt and LTTE to find a solution - Helgesen

Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen has stressed that it is up to the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE to find a solution to the conflict.

During his current visit to Colombo, Helgesen has said that Norway will continue to assist the parties in the process, but has no positions regarding the substantive elements of a future negotiated settlement between the parties.

The Norwegian Deputy Minister is hopeful that further discussions with the Government and the LTTE will lead to a formalised ceasefire, the Royal Norwegian Embassy said last night.

Helgesen is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and other political leaders during his two-day stay here. He also met LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham in London en route to Colombo.

Meanwhile, the Government is currently negotiating the draft agreement on a formal ceasefire with the visiting Norwegian delegation, Cabinet spokesman and Minister of Enterprise Development, Investment Promotion, Industrial Policy and Constitutional Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris told the weekly Cabinet news conference yesterday. The discussions are centred round the points raised by both the Government and the LTTE, he said.

Prof Peiris also told the media that the Government has given serious consideration to three criteria - humanitarian issues, day-to day security issues and monitoring arrangements.

The humanitarian issues are about making life easier for people in the North. The Government is very satisfied with the considerable progress it has made in providing relief to the people of the North by opening roads which have remained closed for over 10 years, he explained.

The Government opened the Vavuniya- Trincomalee Road three days ago and the Vavuniya-Mannar Road will be opened soon. It was also encouraging that the Sri Lanka Army and the LTTE have joined hands in de-mining in uncleared areas, Prof. Peiris said.

Priority is being given to monitoring security issues with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe meeting Defence Minister Tilak Marapana, the Armed Forces Commanders and the IGP on a regular basis.

The third aspect of the approach is the monitoring issues related to the other components to the agreement. The Government is trying its utmost to have it ready by February 24. However, the priority of the Government is to usher in durable peace and not work on the basis of merely adhering to deadlines. It is better to analyse all aspects of the process before arriving at a formal solution, Prof. Peiris asserted.

Asked about the response of the Government to the LTTE's child conscription in the light of the statements made by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Prof Peiris said: "The Government was conscious of it. It is a case of implementing a mechanism to solve all these issues through constant and consistent dialogue."

Asked about what criteria the Government conceded as reciprocation for the ceasefire, he said: "It is not a total surrender. The issues concern both sides."

Asked what was new in the ceasefire as similar ceasefires were operational during the PA regime, Prof. Peiris said "We will have to suspend judgement on the agreement until it is released on February 24. It is not one sided, but beneficial to both sides." 

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