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| Thursday, 20 May 2004 |
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Akashi hopeful of Govt-LTTE talks in summer by Manjula Fernando Japanese Special envoy Yasushi Akashi expressed optimism that direct talks between the Government and the LTTE could resume in summer. At a media briefing held at the Colombo Hilton yesterday, Akashi told reporters: "I am hopeful of a dynamic resumption of peace talks in the summer under Norwegian facilitation." "Both parties are anxious to ensure that future peace talks to be substantive and well structured," Akashi said, adding the LTTE has conveyed the need to consult their diaspora again for advise while the Government had requested more time to structure their policy towards negotiations. The co-Chairs of the Tokyo donor conference will meet again in Brussels on June 1 to take stock of the ground situation in Sri Lanka and evaluate the progress of disbursement of donor funds. Akashi said the co-chairs ; United States, European Union, Norway and Japan will meet and review the progress made during the past months. The benchmark used to review the progress will be, the degree of compliance with the Ceasefire Agreement and the adherence to the provisions in the Tokyo and Oslo declarations such as Human rights and child recruitment issues, efforts for demilitarisation and normalisation etc. He said the Tokyo declaration during which the country was pledged half a billion dollars to rebuild the war torn North and East and develop the country as a whole, remain intact. Akashi said disbursement of these funds is being made with consultation with the Government and LTTE. The President has emphasised that a centralised Department should be set up in charge of disbursing donor funds for the North and East under her direct supervision so as to expedite reconstruction and rehabilitation of the region during her discussions with Akashi on Tuesday. Akashi who arrived in Colombo on Saturday night held extensive discussions with key stakeholders of the peace process including the TNA parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan, SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition members Prof. G.L.Peiris and Milinda Moragoda. He held fruitful discussions with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on Tuesday after his visit to Kilinochchi to meet the LTTE political wing leader S. Thamilselvan. The special envoy also met Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar on Monday. The President has expressed that a larger consultative body representing NGOs, civil society and the Opposition should be constituted to seek the opinion of a wider audience, in addition to the small official delegation that would take part in the talks. She has stressed the need for inclusiveness and transparency of the process. Thamilselvan has pledged that they intend to fully adhere to the ceasefire agreement while stressing the need for commencement of peace talks under the efficient facilitation of Norway. "The two parties have expressed the need to have more time to prepare the groundwork for more substantive talks." He said the Interim Self Governing Authority remains the most important subject matter concerning peace talks and the government had made counter proposals on this issue. The official peace talks delegation is yet to be named by the Government. Akashi said there would be weeks until new terms on future peace talks materialise. "In the meantime, both parties must strive to prevent violations of the Ceasefire Agreement." |
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