Govt has roadmap to end conflict - FM
belgium: Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on Monday assured the
EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy
Mrs. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, that “the Government has a road map in
seeking to bring the conflict in Sri Lanka to an end”.
Minister Bogollagama also assured that working out the parameters of
a political settlement for the process of constitutional reform, was
being finalised by a group headed by the Prime Minister, together with
leaders of the Political Parties participating in the All Party
Representative Committee (APRC).
He said the final proposals that would emanate from the APRC would be
comprehensive, sustainable and satisfy the concerns of all parties.
The Minister also re-iterated, that while the Government had no
desire to seek a military solution to the present conflict, it would
however be compelled to undertake military engagements, in the event
that the LTTE were to threaten the sovereignty, national security and
the safety of the people of Sri Lanka.
Minister Bogollagama made these observations in wide-ranging talks
held at the European Commission in Brussels, responding to Commissioner
Ferrero-Waldner, who sough the Minister’s views on the Sri Lanka
Government’s position on finding a negotiated political settlement to
the conflict and expressed concern whether the Government was seeking to
pursue a military solution, following its recent military success in the
Eastern Province.
Earlier, the Commissioner had emphasized that the EU strongly
condemned terrorism and the actions of the LTTE, and that the listing of
the LTTE as a terrorist organization within the EU, amplified that
position.
The Foreign Minister explained in detail the efforts made by the
Government of President Rajapaksa to engage the LTTE in a dialogue since
assuming office in November 2005.
He noted that the government had engaged in two rounds of futile
negotiations with the LTTE and exercised maximum restraint despite
escalation of attacks by the LTTE including a failed assassination
attempt on the Army Commander.
He said, it was only after July 2006, when the LTTE cut off water
supply to a part of the Eastern Province and simultaneously targeted the
vital Naval Port of Trincomalee, that the Security Forces had decided to
flush out the LTTE presence in the Eastern province which was
successfully concluded two months.
The Minister also detailed to Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner the
efforts being taken through the ‘Negenahira Navodaya’ programme to
revive the Eastern Province and that the Government had provided a sum
of Rs. 20 Billion for 2007 in this connection. While appreciating the
assistance already extended, the Minister sought the continued support
of the EC towards this programme.
Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said that over the past few years as a
member of the Co-Chairs Group along with Norway, the US and Japan, the
European Union had taken a very keen interest in trying to help in
bringing peace to Sri Lanka and was anxious to see this process succeed.
Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said the European Commission was
encouraged by the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and
the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP).
She also noted that the Consultative Committee on Humanitarian
Affairs (CCHA) process had contributed to ensuring a dialogue on related
issues.
She said the EU hoped that in addition to dealing with past alleged
human rights abuses, Sri Lanka should also ensure that action is taken
to prevent any further incidents.
With respect to the COI and the IIGEP, Minister Bogollagama detailed
the various steps taken by the Government to facilitate their work, the
steps that had been taken to set in place a scheme for witness and
victim protection and the vigorous manner in which all concerned
authorities were working towards identifying and punishing the
perpetrators of violations.
The Minister also briefed the Commissioner on the recent successes in
identifying and charging perpetrators of the killing of two Red Cross
workers and a group responsible for many of the disappearances in the
recent period, respectively.
Concluding, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner noted that from the
discussion held with the Minister, the impression she received was that
Sri Lanka’s claim seemed to be that it had nothing to hide. She urged
that Sri Lanka take a greater effort to make this position known to
those countries that had expressed concerns about developments in Sri
Lanka.
Earlier in the day, Minister Bogollagama briefed Mr. Antonio Cavaco,
Director General of the Directorate-General of Humanitarian Aid Office
of the European Commission (ECHO). The European Commission through ECHO
has been providing humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka since 1994.
Since, 2004 the Commission has provided a total of Euro 79 million
humanitarian assistance, including Euro 45 million for tsunami victims.
Responding to concerns expressed by the officials of the ECHO regards
restrictions they face in gaining access to the areas where relief work
had to be done and their security, the Minister explained that strict
security measures had become necessary due to recent detection of high
explosives being transported to the South from these areas.
However, he noted that every effort will be made to expedite movement
of their goods and personnel with greater efficiency and that the
Commander of Army had already appointed a high level Co-ordination
Officer to liaise with the foreign missions, international agencies and
NGOs in ensuring that concerns of gaining access were redressed.
The Foreign Ministry too will have a focal point set up in order to
better coordinate efforts in this connection.
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