Sri Lanka has a road map to end conflict – Bogollagama assures EU

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on Monday assured EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner, that “The government had a road map to bring the conflict in Sri Lanka to an end.” Bogollagama added 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).

Minister Bogollagama made these observations in talks held at the European Commission in Brussels, when responding to Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner, who sought the Minister’s views on the Sri Lanka Government’s position on finding a negotiated political settlement to the conflict. Ferrero-Walder aslo expressed concern whether the government was seeking to pursue a military solution, following its recent military success in the Eastern Province.
Bogollagama expressed the belief that the final result 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.
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.
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 the Sri Lanka Government to take greater effort to make this position known to those countries that had expressed concerns about developments in the country.