"There must have a congenial atmosphere for you so that you can do your business," Gothabhaya Rajapakse, Secretary to the Defence Ministry said.

The he made the comments at a meeting that business leaders, including the heads of some of the big conglomerates, had with Rajapakse earlier in the week.

The statement said the meeting provided the forum for the business community to voice some issues of concern, which were clarified by Rajapakse.

A statement issued by the defence minister quoted Rajapakse as saying that 'a company without a vision is a company blinded and a company without a mission only gropes in the dark'.

Rajapakse, a retired army colonel who is also a brother President Mahinda Rajapakse, said that signing temporary peace pacts with Tamil Tigers cannot bring lasting peace nor economic stability.

He was referring to the ceasefire negotiated with the Tigers by the previous government that is now effectively over.

"As a soldier I know only the right strategy which takes all factors into consideration will work and achieve the final bigger goal that not only you as a corporate but we as one nation longs for," he said.

"This is the way towards long term, sustainable stability in the country where you can take strong investment decisions in order to achieve your corporate objectives."

Rajapakse said Sri Lankans had lived with uncertainty for more than 25 years. The government had 'no quick-fix solution' to the ethnic problem but was working according to an overall plan, in the belief that the final solution lies in a negotiated settlement.

"In order to achieve this objective, the country needs to combat terrorism and push the terrorist leaders to come to the negotiating table, and above all protect law and order of the country”, Rajapakse said.

He said that any conflict can only bring adverse results to an economy of a country and also to individual businesses.

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