by Saman Indrajith

The USA led international community, instead of preaching to the Sri Lankan Government of the values of engaging in talks with the LTTE, must extend their support to wipe out terrorism from this country, the JVP had told the US envoy in Sri Lanka.

"US Ambassador Blake told us that the Government should abandon its military campaign and must give priority to a negotiated settlement with the LTTE. He was of the opinion that there was no military solution to the North, East conflict and the only way out lay through further talks with the terrorists. This we did not agree and told him that talking with the LTTE is not a means for peace," JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa told The Island yesterday.

Ambassador Robert A. Blake had talks with a group of JVP members led by Weerawansa at the JVP head office in Pelawatte yesterday morning. Talks commenced around 11.30 am and lasted for nearly one hour. They discussed the current political and economic situation and charges of corruption against the government lawmakers, Weerawansa said.

"Blake held the idea that the LTTE could not be defeated militarily. His argument was that successive governments had attempted that option yet they could not get rid of the LTTE. We told him of the blunders committed by the political leadership during those failed campaigns against the terrorists and indicated that the recent victories in the East show us that the LTTE could be defeated militarily."

To defeat terrorism, it is the duty of the international community to give its assistance to the Sri Lankan Government rather than press on for talks with a terrorist outfit, he said. "The USA, which is leading the so-called international community, has a specific role to play in this regard, we pointed out to Blake," Weerawansa added.