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Kumaratunga rejects ceasefire pact with LTTE

Recovering from the initial shock after the army lost control of Elephant Pass last month, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has now outright rejected any ceasefire agreement with the LTTE.

But, she said, her government was ready for talks with the militant group provided LTTE chief V Prabhakaran was brought to the negotiating table.

The president was speaking to representatives of 27 registered political parties whom she had called to explain the current military situation in the war-torn Jaffna yesterday. ''As a responsible government, we consider it our responsibility to apprise you of the situation in the north after the April 20 battle in Jaffna peninsula intensified''.

Obviously referring to the ceasefire offer made by the LTTE early last week, Kumaratunga said the government would never agree to withdraw the armed forces from the north.

"Every attempt made by our government to arrive at a peaceful solution was thwarted by the LTTE. When we genuinely tried to restore the rights of the Tamil people, the LTTE opposed it. If it (the LTTE) is prepared to negotiate peace we are ready, but we will never give in to proposals like withdrawing our forces from the north and the east."

Kumaratunga said, ''Although due to certain tactical moves we had to face setbacks in the course of battles with the LTTE, we are today in a much stronger position. We have supplied the army with sufficient necessary weapons.''

She said the government's devolution package would be presented in the Sri Lankan parliament in August -- with or without the support of other parties.

"The government had offered several chances to the LTTE for a negotiated solution to the ethnic conflict but the LTTE had cheated. Norway which was trying to facilitate the peace process had also now realised the LTTE was cheating."

The president urged all parties to put aside petty political differences and act together to bring about a solution, while protecting the rights of the minorities.

UNI

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