S Lanka not to share power with Tigers

Sri Lanka's President has vowed to leave Tamil separatist rebels out of his government's effort to resolve the country's ethnic conflict.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, speaking to local newspaper editors and foreign correspondents based in Colombo, said that his latest political proposals on devolution of powers are expected to focus on moderate Tamils and not on the rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who have resumed fighting with government forces.

"This proposal is not for terrorists. We do not believe that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamils. There are other Tamil groups and these proposals will be focused on them," Rajapaksa said.

A committee appointed to draft a proposal aimed at ending the ethnic conflict is due to submit proposals on Wednesday.

The proposal is the latest effort by the government to resolve the conflict after pulling out from a Norwegian backed cease-fire with the rebels on January 16.

Source: presstv