"I did not listen to JVP's demand to expel Norway as facilitators"

The President told the BBC in London that the government in principal has agreed for devolution of power as a solution to the national question.

“The solution should be under one country we have said we can’t divide this country. But we have said we are for devolution of power,” Rajapaksa told Ethirajan Anbarasan of BBC Tamil Service.

Devolution of power

However, he insists that the government need an assurance from the top Tamil Tiger leadership before engaging in talks.

The solution should be under one country we have said we can’t divide this country. But we have said we are for devolution of power President Rajapaksa

“They refused to talk to my team in Oslo after repeated pledges so we must have an assurance from Prabhakaran that they are ready to talk”.

The Tamil Tigers said they are "ready to consider" the President's demand.

LTTE response

"If we get an official request we will definitely consider that," LTTE military spokesman Rasiah Ilantherian told bbcsinhala.com.

He insisted that the Tmill Tiger team informed the Norwegian officials of their position, not to speak to the government, before leaving for Oslo in June this year.

The President insisted that there was no question of dividing the country.

JVP "influence"

“There are no different borders as such in Sri Lanka. There is only one border,” the President said commenting on the Tiger-controlled areas set out by the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) signed in 2002.

There are no different borders as such in Sri Lanka. There is only one border President Rajapaksa

The Sinhala nationalist parties did not succeed in “influencing” the policies of his government, Rajapaksa added.

The government did not expel the Norwegian facilitators as JVP and JHU requested, he said.

“My party or government is not influenced by anybody. Only the people can in influence me”.