No talks prospects with Prabhakaran alive -Devananda

DHARMA SRI ABEYRATNE

Social Service and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda yesterday asserted that as long as Velupillai Prabakaran was alive, the LTTE would never agree to peaceful settlement of the current conflict adding that the LTTE always used peace talks to re-group and strengthen its lost power.

Addressing a press conference on the current situation in the country, Devananda said even if the LTTE participates in future peace talks, it is bound to put forward many unreasonable demands so that they could withdraw from the process citing the Government's unwillingness to accede to these demands.

Regarding the Eastern provincial election, Devananda said steps have been taken to contest the Provincial Council election in the Eastern Province.

"Talks are under way with the EPRLF, PLOTE, TELO and other political parties to explore the possibility of contesting as an alliance. The EPDP has put forward a solution to deal with the terrorist problem in three stages. The EPDP is for empowering the Provincial Councils under the full provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution".

The Minister strongly condemned the assassination of Parliamentarian T. Maheshwaran since the EPDP does not believe in achieving any solutions by recourse to weapons.

"The Tigers have been in the habit of destroying those refusing to pay them obeisance, criticise the Government and to put the blame on their opponents for such dastardly acts.

It is a case of killing two birds with one stone," Devananda said. The EPDP commended the Government for abrogating the Ceasefire Agreement which has no relevance since the LTTE has violated it at will.