Sri Lanka Co-Chairs Group lauds India's 'responsible role'
Nov 22, 2006 - 5:39:18 PM
, Reviewed by: Priya Saxena
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While that meeting produced no major breakthroughs, the two sides agreed to continue discussing measures for a sustained ceasefire and ultimately a political solution to the conflict.
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By Arun Kumar, Indo-Asian News Service,
[RxPG] Washington, Nov 22 (IANS) The Co-Chairs Group on Sri Lanka has praised India's 'responsible role' in the peace process and asked both Colombo and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to return to the negotiation table to end the upsurge in violence and human rights violations in the country.
The Co-Chairs of the 2003 Tokyo Donors' Conference on Sri Lanka - Japan, Norway, the European Union and the US - expressed alarm at the rising level of violence in Sri Lanka and condemned both sides for recent violations of the 2002 ceasefire agreement.
The group followed it up with a meeting with India's Deputy Chief of Mission here R.S. Jassal 'to brief him on the results of the meeting and also to seek the views and support of the Indian government', US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns said Tuesday, a day after the Co-Chairs met.
'And we're very grateful for the role that India's playing, a responsible role, also to fulfil this mandated peace,' he said briefing the media on behalf of the group co-chaired with him by Norwegian Minister of International Development Erik Solheim, Japanese Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi and European Commission Director General for External Relations Herve Jouanjean.
A joint statement issued by the group said the agreement between the Sri Lankan Freedom Party and the opposition United National Party should lead to a credible power-sharing proposal that could help form the basis for a viable negotiated settlement between the parties.
At the same time, the specific arrangements for the north and east should not be disturbed as they are fundamental to continuing the dialogue to achieve an agreement. The legitimate interests and aspirations of all communities, including the Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala communities, must be accommodated as part of a political settlement.
Burns reaffirmed the US position that the LTTE is a terrorist organisation responsible for considerable bloodshed and that the Sri Lankan government has a right to protect the country's stability, security and territorial integrity. 'We are not neutral in this respect,' he added.
But Burns said, 'There are times when a government takes actions, and we have to speak out because we are in opposition to those actions. There have been, as you know, a number of incidents over the last several months that have given us a great deal of concern about the use of military power against civilians and against aid workers.'
He said the US urged the Sri Lankan government to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate those incidents and hold the responsible parties accountable. He said the government had agreed to do so.
Burns said Washington hoped 'to use the combined influence of the European Union and Japan, Norway and the US, working with countries like India, to see if we can bring our influence to bear to make some suggestions that might be helpful to the government and helpful in bringing about a ceasefire and peace negotiations'.
'India, even though it is not part of the Co-Chairs, is working hand in hand with us in promoting peace,' added Japanese Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi.
Noting that the donor countries have considerable leverage with the parties through their financial assistance, he said Japan would review the appropriate mix of incentives and disincentives to encourage the government to seek 'imaginative as well as realistic offers of negotiation with LTTE'.
Japan, unlike many countries, has not severed its relations with the LTTE and has influence with that group as well, again through aid deliveries, he added.
The group also condemned 'the LTTE for initiating hostilities from heavily populated areas and the government of Sri Lanka for firing into such vulnerable areas and killing and wounding civilians'.
It also called for the opening of all land and sea routes. The government closure of the A-9 highway to the Tamil-dominated Jaffna Peninsula has been a key sticking point in efforts to restart the peace talks.
The road closures also have prevented international aid organisations from delivering humanitarian assistance to the victims of the fighting. The Co-Chairs called on both parties to facilitate the movement of humanitarian aid.
Norwegian Minister of International Development Erik Solheim welcomed the results of an October meeting in Geneva between representatives of the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE.
While that meeting produced no major breakthroughs, the two sides agreed to continue discussing measures for a sustained ceasefire and ultimately a political solution to the conflict.
Solheim said it was up to the two parties to achieve peace. 'We can support them, but it is their responsibility to make peace.'
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