Report soon on LTTE's broadcast equipment - G.L. Pieris

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 December 2002, 17:03 GMT]
The United National Front Government will soon release a report giving details of the broadcasting equipment given to the LTTE and this will clarify the misleading information spread to the public by some interested parties, said G. L. Pieris, minister of Constitutional Affairs and the leader of Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) negotiating team, speaking to journalists at a press conference in Colombo today.

The minister said that some broadcasting equipments were imported recently for the LTTE, but “contrary to the rumors spread by some forces opposed to the peace process, this will not in anyway affect the security of our country.”

“We will never act against the interests of our motherland. We are saddened by the false propaganda spread by these forces,” he said and asserted that such false rumors would not be allowed to affect the peace process in any way.

Currently both sides have agreed to explore mechanisms to share power under a federal structure. The fourth round of talks are scheduled to be held in Thailand from January 6 to 9.

The minister said that the first three rounds held within a brief period have resulted in agreements between the two parties on several matters. “Compared to the previous talks, the current talks are more successful. The contribution of the Norwegian government has been paramount for the progress and success of the talks so far.”

According to minister Pieris, there will not be any changes in the composition of the government’s negotiating team in the next round talks. Minister Rauff Hakeem will participate as a representative of the Government of Sri Lanka. Before the fourth round of talks the matters agreed to by the sub-committee on de-escalation and normalizaton (SDN) on security issues will be discussed.

The minister added, “Britain has expressed its satisfaction on the progress of the peace talks so far. The British minister of foreign affairs has said that Britain will provide assistance on planning devolution of powers, on how best to use British aid and on restructuring police force under a plan of power sharing.

“Many other countries have come forward to provide assistance to us. The peace process is being taken forward with the assistance of the international community. We will act in a way that will make progress in the peace process possible.”