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Abandon violence unequivocally, US tells LTTE

Prabhakaran's press conference has elicited a positive response from the United States. The US Embassy in Colombo in a press release issued yesterday welcomed the LTTE leader's commitment to peace and a negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It has also called upon the LTTE to abandon the use of violence unequivocally.

The release:

"The US Embassy issued the following statement yesterday on the press conference held by Mr. Valupillai Prabhakaran on 10 April, 2002: the United States welcome Mr. Prabhakaran's commitment to peace and a negotiated political settlement of the 19-year long ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. We also welcome his acknowledgement that the questions of Sri Lankan Muslims must be resolved alongside those of the Tamil people.

We are encouraged by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's willingness to work within a political process and to renounce violence. We have long believed that violence cannot achieve the Tigers' stated objectives, and urge Mr. Prabhakaran to abandon its use unequivocally.

As we have said earlier we are pleased by the existing ceasefire and the prospect of direct peace negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which could begin in May or June.

A political solution to the conflict which maintains Sri Lanka's territorial integrity would be welcomed by the international community, and we urge all parties to continue to work towards that goal.

If Sri Lankans on both sides continue to approach talks constructively and show a willingness to compromise, we believe peace can return.

The United States fully supports the Norwegian government's efforts to facilitate a settlement." 

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