President begins talks for political consensus

by Chamikara Weerasinghe

President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday started consultations on the peace process with political parties represented in Parliament beginning with Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), at Temple Trees.

Bhikkhu MPs of JHU with their Leader Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Mahanayake Thera met President Rajapakse at his invitation.

Medhananda Thera pledged his party's full support to President Rajapakse and his Government to move its peace agenda for the resolution of the national question.

Medhananda Thera told the Daily News that the talks lasted several hours.

"We told the President to make every effort to get the LTTE for talks on a scheduled framework free of terrorist acts, " said the Medhananda Thera.

"We discussed the importance of getting the international community around the reality of the problem. We pointed out the importance of getting Indian involvement in reaching a durable solution to the problem."

"We agreed that the problem should come to a settlement within an undivided country with an emphasis on protecting human rights," he said.

We also said that facilities may be given to Tamil people with a warning not to allow terrorism to establish its power in the name of Tamil people, the Thera said.

We highlighted the importance of launching an effective programme to counter bogus propaganda which is spread internationally through the LTTE media network to tarnish the image of the country and its people, the Ven. Thera added.

Minister Dew Gunasekara told the Cabinet media briefing last week that President Rajapakse would 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.

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