Govt. TNA talks put off

The Government has postponed the next round of discussions, scheduled for Monday (3), with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), on finding a political solution to the ethnic issue.

The government said the talks have been postponed since members of the government delegation are involved in the local government elections scheduled for Saturday (8).

A member of the government delegation confirmed to ColomboPage that the meeting has been postponed.

However, the next date of the discussion is yet to be decided by both parties.

Representatives of the government and the TNA on 16 September resumed talks stalled for several months following pressure from the international community.

At the end of the 10th round of talks held in early August, the Tamil party threatened to withdraw from the talks with the government on power devolution if the government fails to step up the pace for a meaningful resolution.

The current discussions between the two parties are based on the proposals handed in by the TNA, the proposals made by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the recommendations of the experts’ panel appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2006. (Colombo Page)