TNA to reconsider talks with Govt.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said today it would take a decision on whether to continue talking to the government because it had rejected the TNA request for the devolution of police and land powers.

TNA MP Suresh Premachandran who was commenting on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s invitation to cooperate with the government during his speech at the end of the budget debate on Wednesday, said the party could not understand the purpose of the invitation as the government did not appear to be flexible.

He said the party was disappointed over the government’s refusal to grant police and land powers to whatever unit of devolution that might be established to resolve the national question.

“One cannot go on saying won’t give this or won’t give that while discussions are going on,” Mr. Premachandran said.

He said the party would meet soon and take a stand on those matters though the next round of talks with the government was fixed for January 17.

Meanwhile TNA Parliamentary Group Leader R. Sampanthan said the party had always expressed its willingness to cooperate with the government and help find an amicable settlement to the problems faced by the Tamil Community.

He said it was too early to comment on the statement made by the president that the military camps will not be removed. “We will have to discuss these matters with the government and then decide on what needs to be done,” he said. (Yohan Perera)