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President reiterates commitment to peace process

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has pledged her commitment to the current peace process which she says was initiated by her to find a negotiated solution to the ethnic problem.

Speaking at a banquet hosted by her in honour of the visiting President of the Republic of Croatia Stjepan Mesic, President Kumaratunga indicated that the fervent prayer of all was that a process has begun for the realisation of the political aspirations of all communities within a democratic framework in a united Sri Lanka.

She said: "The present Government has continued the process initiated by me to find a negotiated political solution to the ethnic problem that has enveloped our country in a climate of violence over the past decades.

"Last February 2002, the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE entered into a Ceasefire Agreement to ensure a violence free environment and create the climate of confidence which is necessary for the pursuit of political negotiations.

As you are no doubt aware, two rounds of official talks between the two parties have now been completed in Thailand.

We in this country, and our friends all over the world, hope and pray that a process has begun whereby the legitimate political aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka - Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and others - who have lived together in our island home, from time immemorial, could be realised within a democratic framework in a united Sri Lanka.

I am personally deeply committed to the success of this cause."

The President also said relations between Sri Lanka and Croatia have always been warm and friendly.

"Even though Croatia re-emerged as an independent State about a decade ago and diplomatic relations between our two countries were established in 1997, Sri Lanka maintained cordial relations with Croatia when it was a constituent Republic of the former Yugoslavia until 1991.

"The former President of Yugoslavia Marshal Tito, a native of Croatia himself, visited our island twice, once in 1959, during which he discussed the problem of convening a conference of Heads of State and Government of all Non-Aligned countries and again in 1976 to attend the 6th Summit of the Movement in Colombo," she said. 

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