Talks with political parties next week

by Ranil Wijayapala and Uditha Kumarasinghe

President Mahinda Rajapakse will start consultations with political parties represented in Parliament next week, as the initial step to reach a consensus among Southern political parties in his bid resolve the country's ethnic problem prior to initiating direct talks with the LTTE.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing along with Cabinet Spokesman Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Constitutional Affairs Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera stressed that President's new approach to the peace process will not be "hawkish" as speculated by the international media.

He said that President Rajapakse may start bilateral talks with each political party first and then move towards multi-party discussions in his endeavour to reach a consensus among political parties.

He added that the President is yet to decide on the format of the discussion he is going to have with the political parties.

"The President will strive to initiate a new approach to the peace process through these discussions," Minister Gunasekara added.

"This is a slow but steady process. We cannot solve this problem overnight since it has been dragging on for more than 50 years and with 20 years of war," Minister Gunasekara added.

Minister Gunasekara added that President Rajapakse has given indications of his willingness to have direct talks with the LTTE but has not given out an official invitation to the LTTE.

He said the President has proved that international media speculations that war would be imminent if Rajapakse was elected the President are wrong. "There is nothing to panic since there is no danger of a imminent war," the Minister added. Asked whether any decision has been taken to invite India to facilitate the peace process the Minister replied in the negative.

"India has always expressed its willingness to extend its support to Sri Lanka to solve the ethnic issue. India is our neighbour and we can rely on it on any matter," the Minister added. Minister Gunasekera said going through the various speeches made by LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran at each Mahaveera Day, the Government considers Prabhakaran's latest speech to be a positive one.

"Unlike the international media Prabhakaran has identified President Rajapakse as a practical man," he added.