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Donors call for early peace talks

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, FEB. 18. The Sri Lanka donors co-chairs group has called for an early return to peace talks that have been suspended since April 2003. "A return to the peace table along with strict adherence to the terms of the ceasefire agreement is essential to sustain the peace process for the benefit of all ethnic communities in Sri Lanka," the U.S. State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, said in a press statement.

The co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka — the United States, the European Union, Japan and Norway — met here to discuss the international community's continued support for the peace process in Sri Lanka. "The co-chair group is pleased to note that in cooperation with the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission, the parties have largely upheld the ceasefire in Sri Lanka for two years," Mr. Boucher said.

Expressing disappointment at the breakdown of the "co-habitation" efforts, the co-chairs have called on all political figures to make sure that the Parliamentary elections scheduled for April 2 were free, fair and peaceful. The point has been made that rhetoric with religious undertones and ethnic intolerance will only undermine the "important gains" that have been made in the peace process.

The donor community has been encouraged to provide the needed support to the independent local and international election monitors and have called on parties to ensure that these monitors can go about their mission safely.

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