While proclaiming that it is interested in a negotiated settlement and it is not engaged in armed conflict, the government of President Rajapakse has waged a full scale military action. At the same time the government has also announced that it is prepared for talks with the LTTE.

While getting ready for talks with the UNP, the main opposition party, President Rajapakse is engaged in efforts to bring the JVP into the government.

The co-chair countries in their statement last Tuesday stated that both the government and the LTTE have indicated their desire to participate in unconditional peace talks. It is also stated that the next round of talks will take place at the beginning of the next month in Oslo.

But the government has expressed concern over certain matters mentioned in the statement. The government stated that the date and the venue for talks have not been decided yet. The statement issued by the peace secretariat of the Sri Lankan government states that as indicated by President Rajapakse to the envoys of the co-chair countries on august 22nd the government would be prepared for talks only if there is a definite and clear undertaking by the LTTE leader.

Unlike earlier occasions, this time people are doubtful about the probability of any talks between the government and the LTTE. People are not going to believe unless there is a determination to stop the violence. Can we make the people believe that there will be peace talks while violence continues?

Meanwhile JVP is furious that whenever the LTTE faces a set back, the international community comes to their rescue. Wimal Weerawensa, the propaganda secretary of JVP, has insisted that the government should not agree for any peace talks until the LTTE lays down the arms. JHU, another ally of the government, has stated that the government must withdraw from the Ceasefire Agreement and engage in full scale war.

At the same time, there are talks between the SLFP and UNP to arrive at a consensus. The UNP has been taking up the position right through out that it was prepared to extend its cooperation for the resolution of the ethnic problem on the basis of Tokyo declaration and Oslo decisions.

If President Rajapakse is sincere in reaching an agreement with the UNP he would not have invited Karu Jayasurya, the deputy leader for talks while Ranil Wickremasinghe, the UNP leader, was away from the island.

But Ranil Wickremasinghe has agreed to avoid any split in the party or to heighten his image in the eyes of the Sinhala people. The conduct of the President is paradoxical. Any way opposition is in disarray.

An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo

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