UNP’s about turn could lead to consensus - Keheliya

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

COLOMBO: An early consensus on a political solution to the North East conflict will be possible with the dramatic U taken by the main Opposition United National Party on the ethnic issue, Government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

Rambukwella said he had learnt from the media that Ravi Karunanayaka had said the UNP was even ready to go for military solution to end the North East conflict.

“But we will not leave that to the UNP,” the Minister remarked adding that it is incumbent upon the Government to protect the sovereignty and its people.

Rambukwella said that the Government is ready to defeat terrorism while keeping the doors open for negotiations adding that the Government is ready to have negotiations with all partners to the problem representing all parties at the APRC.

He said the Government does not regard the LTTE as the sole representative of the Tamil people.

“The Government will not take any threat posed by the LTTE lightly if it threatens the sovereignty of the country and its people,” the Minister added.

“We will keep on responding the threats. We will even go further and corner the LTTE,” the Minister said. Rambukwella said it was incumbent upon the Government and the President to safeguard the sovereignty of the country and the security of the citizen.

“We are ready to liberate the people from the clutches of terrorism,” the Minister added.

However, the Minister said everybody should not forget the fact that the final solution to the North East conflict should be through a negotiated settlement.

“With the recent shift in stance of the main Opposition a political solution will also be possible very soon,” the Minister said commenting on new stance taken by the UNP.