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| Monday, 1 March 2004 |
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| General Elections - 2004 Negotiations cannot be resumed unless Freedom Alliance wins Parliamentary Elections by the Monitor Norway will be in an embarrassing difficulty to resume its mediating role, if the UNP were to win the up-coming Parliamentary elections, having suspended its mediation in November 2003 alleging that there was no clarity as to who was in charge in Colombo. A UNP victory will underwrite the "lack of clarity." A former Member of Parliament from the Tamil National Alliance from the East, who declined to be identified, said the "lack of clarity" on who is in charge in Colombo would remain, if the UNP wins a majority in Parliament, while the President from a different party remains in control of the Executive. Only the Freedom Alliance regaining control of Parliament can provide an acceptable answer to the Norwegians, to resume mediation. An Alliance victory alone can end the confrontations between the legislature and the executive and eliminate the instability that has led to these elections, the former TNA MP said. Norway, unilaterally suspended its role in November 2003, without any attempt to discuss a way out, either with the President or the Prime Minister, following the President's take-over of the three Ministries, which led to the cessation of countrywide opposition to the Prime Minister's peace process, that went on throughout 2003. Six months earlier, in April 2003, the LTTE had already, (again) unilaterally suspended its participation in the peace talks faulting government negotiator G. L. Peiris for announcing (again) unilaterally a government decision to hold a Referendum on a proposed Peace Bill. With all three parties, the Norwegians, the LTTE and the Government, acting unilaterally and jeopardising the peace talks, the resumption of negotiations would be a near impossibility unless the Freedom Alliance wins, the ex-MP said. Maheswaran pressurised not to participate in ITN talk show? The talking point in political circles was how the UNP big-wigs succeeded in preventing Minister T. Maheswaran from participating in a talk show organised by the State-owned ITN TV. Maheswaran, openly critical of the UNP's handling of Northern rehabilitation, having agreed to participate in an ITN program on Wednesday, was on his way to the TV station in Piliyandala. Travelling from Colombo, he had already passed the Parliamentary complex, when UNP's nominee for cohabitational talks with Mano, reportedly called Maheswaran on his mobile, and allegedly urged him not to proceed any further, citing a party leadership decision not to participate in State-owned media programs. But Maheswaran would have none of it and insisted on telling the country the bitter talk. A second call came to Maheswaran, soon thereafter from none other than the party's top man himself. Maheswaran could not resist. It was agreed that Maheswaran will not participate - Reason given to him: Family member had fallen ill! And, who is complaining of state media not giving the UNP fair coverage? |
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