Govt outlines seven issues for talks

Rashomi Silva

COLOMBO: The Government Monday outlined seven issues that future talks with the LTTE would be centred on, but stressed that the 'door is open' for negotiations.

"We believe the issues we forwarded are vibrant enough to address any cause of conflict. But we are flexible," Government Defence spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

The issues are democracy, multi party political system, pluralism, human rights, child recruitment, North-East development and power devolution, the Minister said addressing the regular security press briefing yesterday. Norwegian ambassador Hans Brattskar flew to Kilinochchi yesterday with the issues the Government has forwarded, Rambukwella said adding that the Government was waiting for the LTTE's official response.

He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday briefed the envoys from US, Japan, Norway and the EU, the co-sponsors of the peace process on the Government stance. "During the discussions the President informed the donor Co-Chairs the Government will reserve the right to retaliate LTTE attacks", the Minister said.

"We will counter attack any provocative actions of the LTTE." He said the troops will not be 'strictly trapped' in a Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) violated on the daily basis. "The CFA still exists, but we will not be trapped in an agreement that was violated 5000 odd times by the LTTE," he said.

Norway in their latest peace bid was able to get the Government and the LTTE to agree on a date for talks but the venue for negotiations still remains undecided with the Government maintaining that talks should be held in Geneva and the LTTE, in Oslo.

Meanwhile, military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said at least one soldier was killed on Tuesday in a LTTE artillery attack at the forward defence line in the Jaffna peninsula. He said the Troops were also able to neutralise LTTE activities in Kandalkadu ganga, Manirasakulam and Ralkuli areas.

"Recently troops have noticed increased Sea Tiger activities in those areas," Brig. Samarasinghe said. The activities if allowed to continue will pose a serious threat to Trincomalee harbour, he added.

He said the threat to the Muhamalai defence line still exists, adding there were several other attacks by the LTTE on troops elsewhere in the East.