SLFP for federal system

The Minister was explaining the government's stand at a news conference jointly called on Friday by the SLFP and JVP to clerify the current situation that has come up as a result of the deal Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse signed with the JVP.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapase - the presidential candidate- is determined and is in a clear stand to solve the ethnic problem and that he would find a solution addressing the concerns of all parties within a unitary state, Minister Samaraweera said.

"That will be a solution agreeable to everyone", he added.

He said President Chandrika Kumaratunge in an attempt to find a solution to the ethnic issue drafted a new constitution based on a federal system in 2000.

Also, Minister Samaraweera said that former president J.R.Jayawardena, the architect of the presidential system in Sri Lanka tried to solve the country's ethnic problem under the Indo-Lanka agreement but he too failed.

"SLFP believe in a federal system similar to that of India", he said.

The general secretary of the JVP, Tilvin Silva said JVP is not against decentralisation of the countr's administration within a unitary Sri Lanka.

"However, for that matter country should not be devided. Sri Lanka has a unitary state that has been secured. We will not agree to a solution which will eventually divide the country. This is why we do stress to protect a unitary Sri Lanka.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva talking to reporters in another news conference said that there was no need to go to a foreign country to talk on the ceasefire agreement(CFA). The government has not changed its position to have these talks in Sri Lanka, he said.

No change in govt.stand of the venue for talks

"We have earlier discussed issues relating to the CFA in Omanthai; and this time again these talks are to sort out practical difficulties in the implementation of the CFA", Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva added.

He said that there was no move by the government to seek UN mediation in place of Norway.