Peace talks, only path to resolve ethnic conflict-Wickremasinghe

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 April 2007, 10:53 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) said in parliament Tuesday that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has proved its might with recent air strike on Katunayake air base that it has the capability of attacking any target in the country. He said that the ethnic conflict should be resolved through peace talks and not by military means, parliamentary sources said.

Sri Lanka's parliament met Tuesday morning amid tightened security in the wake of LTTE's predawn air strike on Katunayake air base on March 26.

Many law makers requested to the Speaker to take further steps to protect the parliament complex and to provide maximum security to parliamentarians, sources said.

Mr.Wickremasinghe said it is dangerours to hide the seriousness of the air attack by citing flimsy reasons that fighter aircraft had not been damaged in the LTTE air strike.

Katunayake air strike has raised several questions in providing security to vital installations in Colombo. Defence Secretary and army commander have not yet accepted responsibility for the security lapse in this regard, he said.