International   

Heroes Day address positive, says Sri Lanka

V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Government on Thursday described as "positive" the recent Heroes Day address by leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) V. Prabakaran. It said it would act with "responsibility" to the rebel demand for a reasonable political framework by next year.

"We have to act with a sense of responsibility," Constitutional Affairs Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera told a press conference. He said the protracted conflict could not be solved overnight.

Asked how the Government proposed to carry forward the proposals made by President Mahinda Rajapakse, the Minister said: "We have not formulated our strategy."

The President, he said, would "start with bilateral talks" with the political parties represented in Parliament before moving on to inclusive negotiations with all stake holders.

He also reiterated Mr. Rajapakse's position saying "we would solicit the services of the U.N., all our friends, including India."

On Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera's ongoing visit to India, Cabinet Spokesperson and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said, "It is a tradition."

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

Stories in this Section

Militants attack U.S. bases
AIDS: Europe rejects U.S. policy
Abortion case hearing
PPP hails acquittal
Tension high in the final round of polls in Egypt
U.K. threatened with legal action over "torture'' flights
Logs show CIA planes visited Europe
Heroes Day address positive, says Sri Lanka
Two Saudi women win in landmark election
Help resolve Kashmir dispute, Musharraf tells U.S.

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu