Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 05, 2005
Online edition of India's National Newspaper Saturday, Nov 05, 2005 |
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V.S. Sambandan
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Prime Minister and presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapakse on Friday allayed fears of a return to war were he elected to the highest political office. Addressing soldiers and civilians inside the northern High Security Zone (HSZ) at Palali, Mr. Rajapakse said his aim was to establish peace and create a nation in which "all people live together."
On his approach to conflict resolution, Mr. Rajapakse said he "did not believe in war," and that the separatist conflict could be resolved "only through talks."
Practical approach
Sources close to the Prime Minister said Mr. Rajapakse promised a "practical approach" to conflict resolution and a review of "some mistakes" in the February 2002 ceasefire agreement between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The Prime Minister was accompanied by leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) and Cabinet Minister Douglas Devananda.
According to Mr. Devananda, civilians — mostly supporters of the EPDP — were brought into Zone to interact with the Premier. The Prime Minister and Mr. Wickremesinghe restricted their visits to the heavily-guarded HSZ, which stretches across a large area from the Palali airbase and the Kankesanthurai naval base.
The prospect for peace under the two candidates is one of the key issues in the poll. Mr. Rajapakse has promised a consensual approach which would preserve the sovereignty, territorial integrity, the unitary structure of the state and the identities of the different communities.
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