Sri Lanka's peace process should quickly move towards talks to resolve its vexed ethnic problem once for all, as the country had no war-like situation for the past six months, presidential spokesman said on Friday. We have had no war, no peace for six months. Now, it's time for peace, President Chandrika Kumaratunga's spokesman Harim Peiris told a press conference.
Peiris said a fluid situation prevailed regarding the proposal to have face-to-face talks with the LTTE in Thailand over its timing and agenda.
It was initially expected early in June, but it appeared that it could now take place only towards end of June or early July, he said. Such uncertainty should be ended and the parties should start work on building up a permanent peace, he said.
The government and the LTTE have been observing a ceasefire since December 25 last, initially as unilateral gestures and later converted into an agreed truce in February.
The truce is holding, but has had an uneasy run in the last three months, marked by mutual charges of violations. Kumaratunga's position that next month's proposed talks in Thailand should include substantive issues now has the support of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
His government has also taken the same view and wants core issues to be included on the agenda for talks.
Bureau Report