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| Wednesday, 13 October 2004 |
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LTTE must stop violence, political killings - Swiss FM by Manjula Fernando The visiting Swiss Foreign Minister Michelline Calmy-Ray said the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE must soon resume peace talks in order to reach a settlement within a framework of a federal system as agreed, ending the long dragged ethnic conflict. At a press conference at Colombo Plaza to wind up her two day visit to Sri Lanka Calmy-Ray said the Swiss government "was having direct contacts with the LTTE" and this could be used to help the two parties to better understand each others' aspirations. She also said that the Swiss system of a federal structure could be pursued as a model for a lasting solution to the North East conflict. "Both parties say they want to go back to the negotiating table. That is the positive part of the whole thing," she noted in response to a question raised by the media adding that lack of confidence on both parties seems to be the reason for keeping them apart. Calmy-Ray said swiss officials who met the LTTE delegation in Geneva on October 1 stressed that the LTTE must stop all types of violence and put an end to the political killings. "They have pointed out the importance of an early resumption of peace talks." The Swiss Foreign Minister briefed the Sri Lankan Government of these talks. Her visit marks the first Ministerial level visit from Switzerland to Sri Lanka since independence although Swiss - Sri Lanka bilateral relations goes back over 48 years. The Swiss envoy said her two day official visit covers two important matters; furthering bi-lateral relations between the two countries and to Chair the Asian Regional Conference of Swiss Heads of mission held in Colombo. During her stay in Sri Lanka she held bi-lateral talks with her counterpart Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and made courtesy calls on President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. She also met Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe. "The Main priority of our foreign policy is peace and our involvement in the Sri Lankan peace process denotes this commitment. The fact a large population of Sri Lankans living in Switzerland has been another reason for our interest. A population of 40,000 Sri Lankans live in Switzerland and most of them are Tamils.This is a fairly large group considering that the total population in Switzerland is only 7.5 million. "Swiss Government' engagement in Sri Lanka has increased significantly recently. After the Oslo and Tokyo donor meeting we decided to open an office of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation in Colombo." As a gesture of goodwill, the Swiss foreign Minister said, her Government has decided to give Sri Lanka 8 million swiss francs a year as grants for development and humanitarian purposes since last year. Swiss exports to Sri Lanka have grown by 35 per cent in the first semester of 2004 and imports from Sri Lanka has increased by 70 per cent compared to the first six months of 2003. |
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