Peace talks still on despite latest attack - Keheliya

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The Government has not wavered from its earlier commitment to see peace talks resume, despite the LTTE's aborted attempt to attack the troop carrier Pearl Cruise II, Defence Affairs Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

"The Government cannot change its position and is still sticking to commitments it made earlier to do away with the impediments that may stand in the way of LTTE coming to the negotiation table", the Minister said. He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has issued special

instructions for taking steps to ensure peace talks will be back on track despite these incidents, the Minister added.

Minister Rambukwella said the Ceasefire Agreement is still on despite the magnitude of the violation committed by the LTTE by attacking the Pearl Cruise II.

"The LTTE might have violated the CFA more than 5000 times upto now. The attack on the Pearl Cruise II was serious and it could have been the 5001st time the LTTE violated the CFA but it won't prevent us from entering peace negotiations with the LTTE by withdrawing from the CFA", the Minister added.

Minister Rambukwella said the Government was ready to fulfil the requirements the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission had forwarded to it for the resumption of the Sea monitoring.

"The SLMM had not yet submitted their requirements in writing.

As I came to know over the phone their requirements are more of a technical nature and the Government could comply with their requirements", the Minister said.

The Minister said the SLMM had categorically denied the rumours speculated in the aftermath of the attack on the Pearl Cruise II that they were completely withdrawing from monitoring activities.

The Minister said the nation should pay a special tribute to the Navy, Air Force and also the Army for their valiant act of aborting the LTTE attack on troop carrier Pearl Cruise II on the eve of the Vesak Poya, preventing a huge tragedy and another backlash on Vesak Poya day.