Govt. stands firm that Prabhakaran should put pen to paper

by Noman Palihawadana and Dilanth Wijenayaka

The Government yesterday said it had not and will not shift from its stance that LTTE chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran should in writing state that he was ready for talks between the Government and the LTTE.

Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the Government was well aware of how the LTTE kept on changing its stance on peace talks over the past 23 years, but it (the Government) would not budge from the stance it had taken.

He said the Government was aware that Prabhakaran was taking extra security precautions in view of the LTTE’s present position and may not even meet the Norwegian peace facilitators when they go to Kilinochchi, but there was no problem for him to write to the Government intimating his agreement to hold peace talks.

LTTE political wing leader Thamil Selvan had made a statement, prior to the Co-Chairs meeting in Brussels, that Sampur should be vacated by the Armed Forces if talks were to be resumed, but on the eve of the Co-Chairs meeting he reversed his statement saying the outfit was prepared for unconditional talks with the government. While he was saying that, an arms ship carrying its lethal cargo for the LTTE was sailing towards Mullativu, proving once again that LTTE statements could not be taken on face value, Rambukwella said.

He said the government was keeping its options open on peace talks but it sees no reason to change its stance.

When the LTTE Kilinochchi spokesman Daya Master was contacted, over the telephone, he said the LTTE believed that the Norwegians were trying to assist in restarting the peace talks in good faith, but the necessity of Prabhakaran taking part in direct talks with the Government did not arise. He said Prabhakaran is a signatory to the ceasefire agreement, signed between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. Therefore, he need not write to the government again.