Sattahip, Thailand, Sept 17: Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger delegates entered their second day of historic peace talks here today, after both sides termed five hours of
intensive talks in a previous session as promising.
"There is a very firm commitment to pursue initiatives at a political level," G L Peiris, chief negotiator of the Sri Lankan side and constitutional affairs minister, told a television channel of the island nation after the first session of talks, which ended last night at the Sattahip naval base, near the beach resort of Pattaya, 160 kms southeast of Bangkok.
LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham stressed the tigers were "seriously and sincerely committed to peace" and would "strive our utmost to ensure the success of the
negotiations."
The direct talks come after a gap of seven years and follow a seven-month ceasefire.
Peiris said any reforms must be effected within the framework of a state whose unity and territorial integrity is ensured "in fact and in law by the envisioned structures."
"We stand unwaveringly for the amplest degree of devolution and for the establishment and strengthening of institutions designed to achieve this purpose," he said.
Bureau Report
