The Hindu : Different federal models under study: Peiris

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 06, 2002

International

International

Different federal models under study: Peiris

By V. S. Sambandan

COLOMBO DEC. 5. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam today downplayed its `confederation' option and agreed to look at a "federal structure'' within the framework of a "united Sri Lanka" as a political model to end the decades-long separatist conflict.

A joint statement by the Norwegian facilitators at the end of the third round of talks between Colombo and the Tigers in Oslo said that the two sides had agreed to "initiate discussions on substantive political issues.'' These would include "power-sharing between the Centre and the region as well as within the Centre, geographical region, human rights protection, political and administrative mechanism, public finance and law and order.''

No details of the "federal model'' were spelt out, but the heads of the two delegations, G. L. Peiris and Anton Balasingham, saw the process as having reached an "irreversible'' stage, sources in Oslo said. Prof. Peiris, who heads Colombo's team of negotiators, added that they had looked at the Canadian federal structure, especially its fiscal devolution. The two sides would also study other models, including the Indian structure.

The Sri Lankan Government also committed itself to "arriving at the broadest possible consensus'' by establishing "an appropriate mechanism for consultation with all segments of opinion as part of the ongoing peace process.''

The statement by the Norwegian Government said that the two sides, ``responding to a proposal by the leadership of the LTTE,'' agreed to ``explore a solution founded on the principle of internal self-determination in areas of historical habitation of the Tamil- speaking peoples, based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka.'' Colombo and the Tigers ``acknowledged that the solution has to be acceptable to all the communities.''

The agreement comes after last week's statement by the LTTE leader, V. Prabakaran, that he was willing to consider "regional self-rule'' as an option to a separate Eelam.

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