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Prove commitment to negotiated settlement, Armitage tells LTTE

by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi reporting from Tokyo

United States Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage yesterday appealed to the LTTE to prove that it is committed to a negotiated settlement.

" I am making a personal appeal to the LTTE: prove to your people, to all the people of Sri Lanka, and to those donor nations that want to help you, that you are committed to a negotiated settlement. Prove it by coming back to the table." Armitage told the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation commenced yesterday. The USA is co-charing the conference.

He further said it is hardly suprising that the rate of progress in peace negotiations has slowed. " I know that this is a difficult time for Sri Lanka. Certainly the LTTE has expressed their frustration and I can understand that. The delivery of goods to these areas has to improve if people are to have faith in the process."

" I believe the Government understands that and can and will do better. But it will be difficult for them to do that alone and indeed that is exactly the kind of issue that should be discussed and can only be resolved around a negotiating table. I believe that it is time for the parties to delinate and agree to a shared vision, determination, but also interim steps that will carry them in that direction and will lead the country to that destination." He added.

He said the Government of Sri Lanka will also have to take some difficult steps to make progress at this point. "There is a risk in a multi party democracy that differences of opinion may be exaggerated or misinterpreted by outsiders. So that challenge for the President and the Prime Minister is to demonstrate to the LTTE, international donors that even though there may be disagreements between the parties in power, there is unity of resolve and common purpose."

" To this end, President Kumaratunga's role is especially important. Indeed, a peaceful settlement to the conflict may well depend on the President's blessing. We all know that she is committed to peace .

And she has a spiritually significant role to play in the truth and reconciliation that must take place and I hope that she will choose to play that role."

He emphasized that this is precisely where a push from the international community, an infusion of moral and material support can move the parties and process forward." We all know that there won't be another opportunity quite like this one." He added.

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