DATE=8/25/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=LANKA - MINISTER (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253100
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
Intro: Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister says, due to the
unpredictability of the Tamil Tiger rebels, the
government is unable to find a political solution to
the country's 16 year ethnic war. Vandana Chopra has
the details from Colombo.
Text: Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar
says even if the ruling People's Alliance and the main
opposition United National Party work out a peace plan
it is difficult to say whether the Tiger Rebels would
accept it.
Mr. Kadirgamar expressed frustration this week in a
speech to the Foreign Correspondents Association in
Colombo, saying it is impossible to read the minds of
the Tiger rebels. He said this uncertainty about what
the rebels will do makes it difficult to impose
deadlines.
The government has prepared a draft constitution that
is stuck in parliament because of the lack of a two-
thirds majority. The proposed constitution aims to
give more powers to regional councils, including one
run by minority Tamils, partly meeting the guerrillas'
demand for a separate homeland.
However the Rebels and the main opposition have
rejected the government's peace plan.
Mr. Kadirgamar says President Chandrika Kumaratunga
has not given up hope of resolving the conflict
throught politcal means but he says the process is now
in a deadlock.
Last week, President Kumaratunga said the government
hopes to end the war in the year 2000 by implementing
a political settlement which will include a permanent
solution to the problem of the minorities.
The capital city Colombo's bussiness community had set
a September 30th deadline for the country's ruling
party and the main opposition to reach a consensus on
how to resolve the civil war.
However, Foreign Minister Kadirgamar said he was a
total non-believer in deadlines especially in the
context of peace as it was difficult to say whether it
will be today, tomorrow or in the near future.
Meanwhile human rights watchdog Amnesty International
says the lives of Tamil politicians in Sri Lanka were
at risk from Tiger separatists.
Last month, a rebel suicide bomber killed a member of
the Tamil United Liberation Front.(Signed)
NEB/VC/PLM
25-Aug-1999 07:30 AM EDT (25-Aug-1999 1130 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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