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Sri Lanka's Oppn Party Backs Government-TNA Talks

28 Oct 2011 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka's opposition UNP today backed the talks between the government and the main Tamil party TNA to find a solution to the political aspirations of the minority ethnic community, but underlined that it should not upset the territorial integrity of the nation.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, the chief of the United National Party, said the talks should be able to reach a meaningful status by the year end.

"The talks must not drag on. The UNP will back them to reach consensus," Wickremesinghe told reporters here.

"The TNA must work for a solution which is acceptable to everyone. The government must reasonably look at proposals for devolution," the UNP leader said, adding the talks should not upset the territorial integrity of the country.

He said although "the war has ended, the problem has not seen an end".

Since the end to the war with the LTTE in May 2009, the government has come under increasing pressure from India and the international community to work towards finding a credible devolution of power.

The talks between the TNA and the govt resumed last month after TNA walked out of talks early August claiming that the talks were not leading anywhere.

They have had two rounds of talks this month since the resumption.

The TNA looks for meaningful implementation of the thirteenth amendment to the constitution adopted with Indian backing in 1987.

However, president Mahinda Rajapaksa's government is averse to conferring land and police powers to the provincial councils.

The government has mooted the idea of a parliamentary select committee to include all political parties in finding a political solution running parallel with its direct talks with TNA. (PTI)

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Sri Lanka's Oppn Party Backs Government-TNA Talks

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