DATE=6/22/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA PEACE TALKS (L-O)
NUMBER=2-263642
BYLINE=STEVEN BARTHOLOMEUSZ
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Sri Lanka's government says it has agreed with
opposition political parties to present a draft-peace
plan to Tamil rebels, in an attempt to bring peace to
the war ravaged nation. Steven Bartholomeusz has the
details of this latest development from Colombo.
TEXT: General Secretary of the ruling Peoples
Alliance and Minister of Agriculture D-M Jayaratne
says, the government and the main opposition United
National Party agreed Wednesday to present the draft
plans to Tamil Rebels.
Minister Jayaratne said the government is committed to
its end of June deadline to conclude bipartisan talks
with the opposition and press ahead with implementing
the peace plan proposing greater devolution of power
to minority Tamils.
Mr. Jayaratne told the French press agency, there was
broad agreement that devolution proposals should be
given to the rebels. He says, details like how much
time the government will give the rebels to study the
proposals are to be worked out.
The minister's comments were in sharp contrast to a
government decision announced Sunday to press ahead
with plans for devolution without the involvement of
the rebels. A government statement said President
Chandrika Kumaratunga was opposed to allowing the
rebels, fighting for a separate state for minority
Tamils, a place in an interim North-East
administration.
The President said the rebels could only join the
administration if they gave up violence and entered
the democratic process.
The government began bipartisan talks with the main
opposition in March to try to come to a consensus on
how to deal with the rebels. Minority Tamil parties
have long urged the government to involve the rebels
in any peace process. They say without rebel
participation there could be no lasting peace.
The government has been encouraged recently to push
forward for peace in the 17-year conflict.
Norway has volunteered to be a third-party facilitator
to bring an end to the ethnic conflict that has killed
more than 60-thousand people. Several countries,
including Sri Lanka's neighbour India and the United
States, have welcomed the Norwegian peace efforts.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SB/RAE
22-Jun-2000 07:26 AM EDT (22-Jun-2000 1126 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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