Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, regarding the commencement of peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

August 15, 2002
Japanese

The Government of Japan welcomes the fact that the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), through the facilitation of the Government of Norway, have agreed to commence formal talks in order to resolve the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.
Appreciating that this agreement is the outcome of confidence building efforts founded on the ceasefire agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, the Government of Japan strongly hopes that both parties will maintain their commitment to a permanent settlement of the conflict and engage in sincere discussion to achieve a lasting peace during the coming talks, on the basis of the confidence which has been fostered between them. It is a strong desire of the Government of Japan that the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE will reach a final agreement.
With a view to supporting the peace process, the Government of Japan has given its assistance to the North and East areas mainly in the field of humanitarian assistance of emergent nature. The Government of Japan will continue such assistance. Japan reiterates its readiness that once a durable peace is established, Japan will spare no efforts to extend cooperation toward the reconstruction and rehabilitation of those areas.

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