'Peace talks enter crucial stage'- Ranil

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 January 2003, 17:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe Friday said in parliament that the peace talks between his government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has entered a crucial stage. Concluding the debate in parliament on his presentation during the aid conference in Oslo, he said his government would not allow the peace talks to be derailed at any cost.

Peace negotiators would discuss important matters in the coming peace talks next week at Berlin in Germany, Prime Minister said

The Prime Minister said results of the present peace talks would be placed before the Maha Sangha for its consideration. Likewise the advice of other religious dignitaries will also be sought, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe stressed. Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe further said any resolution to the ethnic conflict would be placed before the people for their approval.

The debate on Prime Minister's Oslo statement commenced Thursday and oncluded Friday afternoon, parliamentary sources said.

"Indian Defence Expert Sathish Nambiar would submit his report on High Security Zone issue to President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and me next month. Thereafter my government would discuss the matter further with the LTTE,"said the Prime Minister.

He said that considerable progress has been made in earlier rounds of peace talks. Senior ministers Milinda Morogoda and G.L.Peiris have been given the task of briefing opposition leaders regarding the progress of the peace talks, the Prime Minister added. He also reminded that the ethnic problem is not the creation of the LTTE.