President invites party reps. for talks monitoring

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday invited representatives from all political parties to get involved in monitoring the Ceasefire Talks in Geneva for the speedy resolution of problems that may arise during the talks.

Addressing representatives from all political parties at the third session of the All Party Conference held yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat, President Rajapakse said the participation of political party representatives in the monitoring committee would help make the outcome of the talks more fruitful.

"This will enable us to provide solutions for the problems that may confront the Government delegation, when engaged in talks with the LTTE in Geneva", the President stressed.

Addressing the party representatives at the end of the conference the President invited all the political parties to nominate one member from each political party for the monitoring committee.

The third session of the All Party Conference was held yesterday to brief the political parties on the outcome of the first round of talks held between the Government and the LTTE in Geneva on February 22 and 23.

President Rajapakse thanked all the political parties who participated at the conference and admired their contribution towards his effort of creating a society for all people to live without fear or suspicion.

The forum provided an opportunity for all political parties representing Parliament to express their respective party stance on the outcome of the first round of the Ceasefire Talks in Geneva.

The Head of the Government Negotiating team Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva briefed the party representatives about the outcome of the first round of talks at the conference.

Karu Jayasuriya on behalf of the UNP, Somawansa Amarasinghe on behalf of the JVP, Ven. Ellawala Medhananda thera (JHU), Minister Maithripala Sirisena (SLFP), Minister D.E.W. Gunasekara on behalf of the Communist Party, Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana (Lanka Sama Samaja Party), Minister Dinesh Gunawardena (MEP), Rauff Hakeem (Sri Lanka Muslim Congress), T. Chandrasekaran (Upcountry People's Front), Mano Ganesan (Western Province People's Front), R. Yogaraja (Ceylon Worker's Congress), Minister A.L.M. Athaullah and Minister Ferial Ashraff also expressed views.

Another round of the All Party Conference is due to be held prior to the next round of talks in April.