The Hindu : SLFP-JVP alliance likely to initiate talks with LTTE

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

International

International

SLFP-JVP alliance likely to initiate talks with LTTE

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, JAN. 18. The emerging alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the radical-hardline Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), "has indicated that it will initiate talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), with reasonable conditions'', a report in a State-run newspaper said today.

Confirming the reported stand of the two parties, a senior leader of the SLFP and a confidante of the President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, told The Hindu that the alliance was for a resumption of talks with the LTTE and that the details of the approach to be taken would be made public on Tuesday. The SLFP said on Friday that the alliance would be based on an understanding reached on "five principles'', including the ethnic conflict and foreign policy, and was aimed at forming the government ``after elections''.

Quoting "highly-placed sources'', the Sunday Observer today said "both parties had agreed that it was important to hold talks with the LTTE to work out a concrete solution'' to the ethnic crisis. The two parties differ conceptually on how the decades-long separatist conflict should be solved.

While the SLFP, headed by Ms. Kumaratunga, proposes devolution of powers to the regions, the JVP has opposed any move from a unitary state on the ground that it could pave the way to separation. The JVP's conditions for the alliance, according to the newspaper ``were important for ensuring a united Sri Lanka''.

After yearlong negotiations the general secretaries of the two parties are scheduled to sign an agreement on Tuesday. The leader of the JVP, Somawansa Amarasinghe, who lives abroad, is expected to participate in the ceremony. The two parties earlier signed an agreement on September 5, 2001, in which the JVP agreed to support the SLFP to form a "probationary government'' for a year, subject to several conditions. One of the clauses in the 2001 pact was that during the period of the probationary government, the Government should "not bring in proposals for devolution of power or any other proposals that may lead to a controversy until such time that a broad consensus is arrived at through a wide-ranging dialogue with the participation of all segments of society aimed at reaching a reasonable resolution of the national question''.

Ms. Kumaratunga on Saturday chaired a ``top-level experts consultation'' on the LTTE's proposals for an interim self-governing authority, in which the senior Indian constitutional expert, K.K. Venugopal, also participated.

"It is part of an on-going process'', the President's Senior Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Lakshman Kadirgamar, said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

Democrats set to kick off Iowa caucuses

7 Al-Qaeda suspects arrested in Karachi

`Pakistan scientists trading in n-arms'

Hutton inquiry report on January 28

SLFP-JVP alliance likely to initiate talks with LTTE

LTTE for team to assess situation

Talks on Baglihar project to continue

Kashmir group's plea

Ivanov visit: Focus likely on security, terrorism