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| Thursday, 15 January 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| Government has not shut the door for compromise by Manjula Fernando The Government yesterday asserted that it had not shut the doors for a viable compromise with the President, to come out of the present political impasse. Speaking at the Cabinet media briefing yesterday Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said "We certainly have no desire to slam the doors shut." He said the Government was still open to a negotiated settlement on a practical working arrangement with the President for the sake of the peace process. "We have already identified the crux of the problem and the Samarawickrema-Tittawela Committee is expected to resume their dialogue shortly." Minister Peiris, however said he was not aware if a date had been fixed for the committee's first meeting after the pause during the festive season. Prof. Peiris further said, although the Prime Minister pronounced that he cannot take the peace process forward without control over defence, the government would do everything do obtain the funds pledged by donors to develop the entire country including the North and East. A meeting of donor representatives has been fixed for January 23 to review the progress of the peace process. Referring to the remarks made by president over the ITN on Tuesday night where she asked why the PM cannot steer the peace process without defence powers when she was prepared to negotiate with the LTTE in 1994 during the Presidency of D.B. Wijetunge when he was holding the defence portfolio, Prof. Peiris said the two situations were totally different and there can be no comparison. "At the time there was no truce between the two warring parties. But now there is, and one signatory to the MoU is the Prime Minister. The truce concerns the three forces over which the PM has no authority now." |
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