The Parliamentary members of the Tamil National Alliance called on President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Thursday 10th June 2004. The 21 member delegation was led by Mr. R Sambhandan. Several important issues connected with the North-East conflict were discussed extensively in a cordial atmosphere. The discussions continued for around two and a half hours.

The President detailed to the members of the TNA, the progress made in the ongoing negotiations, with Norwegian facilitation on the recommencement of talks. She said that the GOSL and the LTTE are attempting to work out a compromise with regard to the agenda for the talks. The two parties are still working out what the next round of peace negotiations should be about. The LTTE would like the talks to focus only on the proposals to set up an interim administration while the Government has indicated the need to engage in discussions on a permanent solution to the conflict, while prioritizing the need to agree on the structures of the interim administration and on the urgency to set it up.

The President reminded the TNA delegation that her government was the first one to make a comprehensive set of proposals to resolve the ethnic conflict. She said the PA government’s draft constitution in the year 2000 contained a chapter on the setting up of an interim administration. Her party thereby accepted the need for an interim administration, but added, discussions on that should be held parallel to the talks on a possible final settlement. The President assured the TNA that the Freedom Alliance Government understands the urgent need to set up an institutional arrangement to undertake development work in the North and East. Her Government therefore would be willing to prioritize the discussions on and the setting up of an Interim Administration while talks on the final solution continued.

The President in conclusion expressed her appreciation of the LTTE’s current commitment to a negotiated settlement and the responsible manner in which they (the LTTE) are acting to avoid direct confrontation.