9/5/2007

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on Monday assured the EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Mrs. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, that, the Government has a road map in seeking to bring the conflict in Sri Lanka to an end.

Minister Bogollagama also assured that working out the parameters of a political settlement for the process of constitutional reform, was being finalised by a group headed by the Prime Minister, together with leaders of the Political Parties participating in the All Party Representative Committee (APRC).

He said the final proposals that would emanate from the APRC would be comprehensive, sustainable and satisfy the concerns of all parties.

The Minister also re-iterated, that while the Government had no desire to seek a military solution to the present conflict, it would however be compelled to undertake military engagements, in the event that the LTTE were to threaten the sovereignty, national security and the safety of the people of Sri Lanka.

Minister Bogollagama made these observations in wide-ranging talks held at the European Commission in Brussels, responding to Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner, who sough the Minister's views on the Sri Lanka Government's position on finding a negotiated political settlement to the conflict and expressed concern whether the Government was seeking to pursue a military solution, following its recent military success in the Eastern Province.

Earlier, the Commissioner had emphasized that the EU strongly condemned terrorism and the actions of the LTTE, and that the listing of the LTTE as a terrorist organization within the EU, amplified that position.

The Foreign Minister explained in detail the efforts made by the Government of President Rajapaksa to engage the LTTE in a dialogue since assuming office in November 2005.

He noted that the government had engaged in two rounds of futile negotiations with the LTTE and exercised maximum restraint despite escalation of attacks by the LTTE including a failed assassination attempt on the Army Commander.

He said, it was only after July 2006, when the LTTE cut off water supply to a part of the Eastern Province and simultaneously targeted the vital Naval Port of Trincomalee, that the Security Forces had decided to flush out the LTTE presence in the Eastern province which was successfully concluded two months.

The Minister also detailed to Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner the efforts being taken through the. Negenahira Navodaya, programme to revive the Eastern Province and that the Government had provided a sum of Rs. 20 Billion for 2007 in this connection. While appreciating the assistance already extended, the Minister sought the continued support of the EC towards this programme.

Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said that over the past few years as a member of the Co-Chairs Group along with Norway, the US and Japan, the European Union had taken a very keen interest in trying to help in bringing peace to Sri Lanka and was anxious to see this process succeed.

Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said the European Commission was encouraged by the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP).

She also noted that the Consultative Committee on Humanitarian Affairs (CCHA) process had contributed to ensuring a dialogue on related issues.

She said the EU hoped that in addition to dealing with past alleged human rights abuses, Sri Lanka should also ensure that action is taken to prevent any further incidents.

With respect to the COI and the IIGEP, Minister Bogollagama detailed the various steps taken by the Government to facilitate their work, the steps that had been taken to set in place a scheme for witness and victim protection and the vigorous manner in which all concerned authorities were working towards identifying and punishing the perpetrators of violations.

The Minister also briefed the Commissioner on the recent successes in identifying and charging perpetrators of the killing of two Red Cross workers and a group responsible for many of the disappearances in the recent period, respectively.

Concluding, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner noted that from the discussion held with the Minister, the impression she received was that Sri Lanka's claim seemed to be that it had nothing to hide. She urged that Sri Lanka take a greater effort to make this position known to those countries that had expressed concerns about developments in Sri Lanka.

Earlier in the day, Minister Bogollagama briefed Mr. Antonio Cavaco, Director General of the Directorate-General of Humanitarian Aid Office of the European Commission (ECHO). The European Commission through ECHO has been providing humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka since 1994.

Since, 2004 the Commission has provided a total of Euro 79 million humanitarian assistance, including Euro 45 million for tsunami victims.

Responding to concerns expressed by the officials of the ECHO regards restrictions they face in gaining access to the areas where relief work had to be done and their security, the Minister explained that strict security measures had become necessary due to recent detection of high explosives being transported to the South from these areas.

However, he noted that every effort will be made to expedite movement of their goods and personnel with greater efficiency and that the Commander of Army had already appointed a high level Co-ordination Officer to liaise with the foreign missions, international agencies and NGOs in ensuring that concerns of gaining access were redressed.

The Foreign Ministry too will have a focal point set up in order to better coordinate efforts in this connection.