Speaking at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) on the topic – The Rise of Asia and Sri Lanka’s Role – on Wednesday, the Sri Lankan Minister for External Affairs, Prof GL Peiris said “all previous attempts at resolving the issue have failed mainly because they were top-down attempts and no effort was made to galvanise popular support behind the proposals. Moreover, there was a lack of political consensus over the implementation of various proposals that were made in the past.”

He referred to the instance of one of the Bills he presented in the Lankan parliament, which was burnt by the opposition. He held that the ongoing talks with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had identified certain issues which would be taken up for discussions by a parliamentary select committee (PSC) and hoped that some solution would be worked out in near future.

However, over the issue of devolution, he argued forcefully that since majority of the Tamils lived outside the North and the East, there was no need to make devolution a critical issue in the negotiations.

Prof Peiris informed that Sri Lanka was gearing up for meeting all these challenges in its own way.

He argued that as a nation coming out of 30 years of ethnic conflict, Sri Lanka was not expected to resolve the issue in three and half years. However, it had done substantial progress in economic and developmental sectors, especially in building physical infrastructure like roads, highways, railways and communication networks in the areas affected by the conflict.

He thanked India for substantial contribution towards the development of railways in the country. He invited people from India to visit Sri Lanka and see for themselves the changes taking place in the war ravaged areas. Development was the key to resolution of conflict, he argued.

On India-Sri Lanka relations he held that the two countries were engaged in a whole range of issues, which made the relationship quite robust, vibrant, “rich and satisfying”. During the course the 8th Joint Commission meeting the two countries agreed to cooperate on matters relating to counter terrorism, food and energy security. He considered people to people contact and cultural linkages as the bases of a solid foundation for continuing process of engagement between the two nations.

Prof Peiris dwelt on the daunting challenges confronting his country as it was making substantial progress on the economic front. He identified the challenges as economic, cultural, security-related and political in nature. Emphasising on the economic challenges the minister said that the fruits of economic development should be equally distributed to the urban and the peri-urban sections of the society and argued that economic development in a country can be sustainable only when complemented with social equity.

He also stressed that a nation’s progress depended on sound functioning of institutions like judiciary and legislature. A major problem facing all societies today was how to reconcile freedom with security, he stated. He held that as Sri Lanka was transiting from a society in conflict to a society aiming at peace, it was gearing up for meeting all these challenges in its own way.

On being asked about the re-settlement of displaced Tamil population in Sri Lanka after the operations against LTTE, the Indian External Affairs Minister Sal Man Khurshid said :” We have discussed the broad principles of rehabilitation, reconstruction and reparation (at the 8th India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting). We have looked at the speed and the creativity with which attempts have been made to ensure that there is both equity and justice in a pervasive way. I think that the entire landscape is not possible to review in every minute detail as far as two governments are concerned. But obviously, as and when anything comes that should be put on the table for discussions, we would always be willing to do so.”

“There are obviously some decisions that are of local nature, decisions that need to be taken in a consensual manner and acceptable manner by Sri Lankan Government in terms of expectations of all their citizens. I think that is something they will do. We are hopeful that there are steps being taken towards rehabilitation and reconciliation which are very significant and important and in which we certainly give our full support to Sri Lankan Government,” he said.

Khurshid further said : “I cannot actually talk about every specific detail which needs to be addressed and attended to by the Sri Lankan Government. But as and when issues come to our notice which we should get involved in and that we should be able to bring that into the broad framework of any dialogue or conversation we have with a friendly country like Sri Lanka, we would certainly do so.”