Consensual framework for final solution

Committee, advisory board to be appointed

COLOMBO: The All Party Conference (APC) yesterday endorsed a proposal by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to appoint a Constitutional Committee to evolve a political settlement ideally suited for Sri Lanka.

A panel comprising intellectuals and other eminent persons will also be appointed to advise the Committee.

President Rajapaksa urged political parties to nominate their members to the Committee.

He outlined the importance of the Committee at this critical juncture, saying that all political parties have a responsibility to adapt a framework that would lead to a suitable solution.

He pointed out that achieving peace was not the responsibility of a single individual or a political party. It should be a joint effort. The future generations should be spared of this agony.

The President expressed the hope that the quest for peace would be facilitated by the Committee.

He briefed the delegates on Government plans to uplift North-East residents and their areas.

President Rajapaksa urged all Southern parties to forge a consensus on the peace process, reiterating that the Government was still committed to pursue a peaceful solution to the ethnic conflict.

The Government has not given up the hope for achieving peace through discussions, despite the current situation in the North and East and continuing provocative actions by the LTTE.

Explaining that doors for negotiations were still open for the LTTE the President said the Government accepted the invitation by Norway to meet with LTTE in Oslo on June 8 and 9 for talks on the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission's safety.

Party representatives commended the European Union for banning the LTTE, paying tributes to the President, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. They agreed that the LTTE should re-enter the negotiating process.

UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya tabling the UNP proposals at the APC yesterday said the UNP had already explained its position on the decisions taken by the Co-chairs at the recent meeting held in Tokyo.

While the LTTE should immediately stop acts of terrorism and killings and come back to the negotiating table the Sri Lanka Government in also bound to perform the duties and responsibilities cast on it, he said.

At this juncture it is very important for the Government to set out the actions it hoped to take to implement the recommendations of the 2002 Oslo agreement. The International Community as well as a majority of people have understood the importance of the Oslo accords.

The final solution should be found by ourselves and not from abroad. For this we can obtain international support. It is the duty of the President to create confidence and protect Southern unity in order to create unity in the North.

The people's mandate should be respected and obstructions should not be caused to opposition parties. This should gain the personal attention of the President.

Therefore the biggest responsibility in this process is cast on the President and the Government. We should go for a final solution which ensured justice and fair play to all communities, Jayasuriya remarked.

The JVP also submitted a set of proposals to the APC for its consideration and requested it to formulate a program based on it to help the country overcome the challenges posed by the national problem.

A statement issued by the JVP in this connection said the internal problem of Sri Lanka has now been internationalised. The international community has been misled by the false propaganda carried out by the LTTE and the national and international forces aligned with it.

But now as the true position is coming to light the International Community has began to take action against the LTTE. We appreciate this. But we cannot condone other sovereign States imposing conditions against sovereign Sri Lanka.

The JVP said it had continuously pointed out the failure of the CFA. Results of its failure are being felt to date since 2002.

The SLMM has already accepted its incapacity. All this time what the SLMM did was to conduct monitoring activities beyond a border they have imagined. But the LTTE did not allow them to enter certain parts of the country.

The CFA has been a failure because the LTTE is holding on to arms. The Government should pay attention to this in future talks with the LTTE. he APC should not suppress the people's mandate given to the President on November 17, 2005.

Parties represented at the APC had already reached agreement on certain issues. They are to start talks with the LTTE, create a meaningful CFA and end conflict and stabilise democracy throughout Sri Lanka, the JVP said.