Government sincere to the cause of peace
 

Bandula JAYASEKARA

GENEVA: The Government is sincere to the cause of peace and Government negotiators under the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapakse adopted a line of sincerity because the cause was peace, said the spokesman for the Government delegation Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

Bogollagama told the Daily News that the negotiators representing the democratic Government fielded a team that comprised professional political leaders and a competent and professional support staff.

"We knew it was a big hurdle. But we had an inclusive approach and we proved to the world and to our critics how one could negotiate," said the Minister.

He said the team approached the talks on the initiatives taken by the President to bring peace to the people of Sri Lanka, be it Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers and Malays.

He pointed out that with the new developments the Government would like to see the de-escalation of violence, normalisation of the support and service environment to the people of Sri Lanka.

The Minister reminded that President Rajapakse pledged throughout the country and the world that he was a man of peace and not a hawk, chauvinist and a hardliner as some sections of the media portrayed him to be.

Meanwhile, talks host Switzerland welcomed the positive outcome of the negotiations between the Government and the LTTE. It voiced the expectation that the parties to the conflict will respect the agreement they have concluded.

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a statement welcomed "the fact that the parties have agreed to respect the Ceasefire Agreement and to take all necessary measures to avoid any acts of violence, intimidation, abductions or killings".

It said the DFA expects the parties to comply conscientiously with the obligations they have undertaken as a building-confidence measure.

The DFA described the two parties' decision to meet again in Geneva from April 19 to 21 as a "mark of trust". The DFA will examine the request favourably within the framework of its commitment to Sri Lanka.