Advisory Council, ploy to delay peace talks- Prof.Peiris

[TamilNet, Friday, 01 October 2004, 00:10 GMT]
"United National Party will not participate in the All Political Party Advisory Council proposed by Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunge since we believe that involving a multiparty council would lead to inordinate delays in peace talks. Instead, Ms.Kumaratunge should take a firm stand against JVP's opposition to talks and strive to move peace process forward," said UNP Member of Parliament and former Minister Prof. G.L Peiris in a press conference Thursday at the opposition party office in Colombo.

"While Ms.Kumaratuntge says she's willing to discuss the ISGA proposals with the LTTE, JVP Secretary Wimal Weeravansa asserts that they will not allow such discussions. When Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala of the peace secretariat says that the Government was preparing an alternative set of proposals for an interim authority, JVP says there was no such thing. There is no consistency in the Governments position on the peace process," Prof.Peiris said.

Prof Peiris added, "The cease fire agreement (CFA) was intended to create an environment to facilitate peace talks. We have had more than two years of peace but now there a great danger that the CFA also would collapse."

Professor Peiris attacked the JVP on their tactics to gain publicity by saying, "Instead of expressing their stand on cost of living, privatisation, the peace process and other matters direct to their Cabinet colleagues whom they meet very often, JVP continues to mislead the masses by writing public letters to fellow members of the cabinet."