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Peace talks, a `delicate and time consuming` process: PM
Colombo, Aug 18: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that achieving peace in the island nation through negotiations was a ``delicate and time consuming`` process, but stressed that his government would fulfill the people`s mandate for peace.
Colombo, Aug 18: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that achieving peace in the island nation through negotiations was a ''delicate and time consuming'' process, but stressed that his government would fulfill the people's mandate for peace.
''Achieving the goals through talks is like 'removing a landmine'. It will have to be done step by step with patience. Going with a fixed plan is like trying to remove a landmine in one go,'' Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by the state-run Sunday Observer as saying yesterday, hardly 72 hours after fixing the date for direct talks with the Tamil tiger rebels. Mr Wickremesinghe, however, said he did not wish to set a time frame for the talks.
''Both sides have their standpoints. Each side should try to understand the other and the background in which such talks are being held. Then we can sustain the talks for a longer period. There are bound to be problems. It is natural and if no problem arises it would be surprising,'' he said while addressing the United National Party (UNP) national executive meeting at Mcheyzer Stadium in the eastern port city of Trincomalee. The Prime Minister declared that his government was prepared to discuss with the LTTE the setting up of an interim administration for the North-East region in the talks scheduled for mid-September in Thailand.
Bureau Report
''Achieving the goals through talks is like 'removing a landmine'. It will have to be done step by step with patience. Going with a fixed plan is like trying to remove a landmine in one go,'' Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by the state-run Sunday Observer as saying yesterday, hardly 72 hours after fixing the date for direct talks with the Tamil tiger rebels. Mr Wickremesinghe, however, said he did not wish to set a time frame for the talks.
''Both sides have their standpoints. Each side should try to understand the other and the background in which such talks are being held. Then we can sustain the talks for a longer period. There are bound to be problems. It is natural and if no problem arises it would be surprising,'' he said while addressing the United National Party (UNP) national executive meeting at Mcheyzer Stadium in the eastern port city of Trincomalee. The Prime Minister declared that his government was prepared to discuss with the LTTE the setting up of an interim administration for the North-East region in the talks scheduled for mid-September in Thailand.
Bureau Report