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by Manjula Fernando

The Government yesterday reiterated that the LTTE's temporary pull out from the negotiations was not a complete breakdown of the entire Peace Process.

Government Chief Negotiator and the Cabinet Spokesman Prof.G.L. Peiris said there can be ups and downs like these in any form of a negotiating process and they anticipated such developments even from the beginning.

"What has happened is one part of the process has been temporarily suspended. But many windows are open. There is scope for contact between the two sides in order to discuss problems," Prof.Peiris said at the weekly Cabinet press briefing yesterday.

"We are doing our best to keep the negotiations on track and hopefully the matter would be resolved before the much anticipated Tokyo donor conference in June," he said.

"A lot of effort went into organising this major donor conference. It would surely be a great pity and irresponsibility to throw away this opportunity," the Chief Negotiator said in response to a question by the media.

He also said that there was no need to enhance security and re-introduce road blocks since there was no decision from both parties to return to war.

"There is no question of returning to war," he emphasised, stating that the LTTE has clearly indicated their commitment to a political settlement to the ethnic conflict despite their temporary shift.

Referring to the letter by Anton Balasingham he said there were certain issues which the Government agrees as well as some it differs with. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will clarify these in his response to Balasingham in due course.

LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamilchelvam in a letter to PM's Secretary Bradman Weerakoon on Wednesday has stressed the need to make rapid progress in the resettlement program and immediate implementation of proposed 18 development projects in North and East.

"We have identified an appropriate location for the Army camps in Subash and Gnanam hotels. We can now go ahead with the relocation as agreed at the talks," Prof.Peiris said. The Government has already informed the Norwegian facilitator of this decision so that it would be conveyed to the LTTE.

The Government has also agreed to implement the proposed development projects which will cover fisheries, road and health sectors in the region.

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