Govt. committed for negotiated settlement - Health Care and Nutrition Minister

COLOMBO: The Government hopes to bring in a set of proposals to solve the national problem giving priority to majority opinions due to the historic MoU reached between the Government and the main opposition, said Health Care and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

He said this when visiting Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Gianni Vernetti met him at his Ministry office on Thursday.

A Ministry release said Minister de Silva further pointed out that many other countries have hailed the MoU signed between the Government and the UNP, the main Opposition Party and appreciated the efforts made in this direction by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Whatever terrorist atrocities the LTTE committed, the government's hopes for peace have not waned and the Government was fully committed towards a negotiated settlement with full devolution of powers to the North and East.

Minister de Silva said he believed there should be an extensive devolution of power in finding a solution to the national problem.

He said the government also hoped to obtain the support of the JVP and the JHU towards its efforts to solve the national problem. Italian Ambassador Pio Marianni was also present on the occasion.