No threat to Indian institutions (Dinamina - S)
There is no threat whatsoever to Indian business establishments in Sri Lanka, Indian Foreign Minister Yaswant Sinha said last Wednesday, speaking to the media. India supports the Sri Lankan peace process and it is the Indian hope that the ethnic issue will be solved through a devolution of power, he added.

The New Delhi Government supports the peace process implemented with the help of the Norwegian Government and neighbouring India will become the single largest investor in Sri Lanka, the Foreign Minister who had come to Sri Lanka on a two day official tour, added.

Police chase away Tigers trying to establish office (Lakbima - S)
The Vavuniya Police had intervened and chased away Tiger cadres who tried to establish an LTTE office by force in a private property close to Vavuniya town. Police had taken this action last Monday on a complaint made by the owner of the property, an engineer, that LTTE cadres were trying to establish an office in his bare land in front of the Gamini Vidyalaya along the Vavuniya Mannar road.

Police had also prevented two other attempts by LTTE supporting parties to establish their offices. Special security measures are being taken to protect this land, which is close to the Vavuniya STF camp.

Government will not put forward alternative proposals (Sudar Oli - T)
When the LTTE proposals on interim administration are received, formal talks will be started without delay. The Government will not put forward any written alternative proposals to the LTTE proposals, Prof. G. L. Peiris said at the weekly press briefing held yesterday (16).

He further said before the end of this month the LTTE proposals are expected to be received through Norway. There might be differences and shortcomings between the Government's and LTTE's proposals, but it is through talks that these differences can be removed, he added.

India will not object to a federal solution (Thinakkural-T)
India will not object to a solution on a federal pattern to the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka, but it should get the support of all concerned, said Yaswant Sinha, Foreign Minister of India, at the meeting be held with Indian journalists based in Sri Lanka on Wednesday (15).

He denied that Indian interests in Sri Lanka's embattled North-Eastern port district of Trincomalee were vulnerable to attacks, despite Opposition allegation that the LTTE had set up bases that posed a threat to India.

PM to visit India on Sunday (Dinamina - S)
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to leave for India on Sunday (19) on an official visit. He is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Atel Behari Vajpayee on this visit and discuss broadening the trade agreements implemented between the two countries from Year 2000.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will also meet the Deputy Prime Minister of India and several other senior Ministers.

Tiger proposals will be acceptable to international community - Thamilchelvan (Thinakkural- T)
The counter proposals for interim administration for the North-East prepared by them are in such a form that will be acceptable to the international community and capable of fulfilling the basic aspirations of the Tamils, S.P. Thamilchelvan, LTTE's Political Wing Leader has said.

The proposals will be sent to the Government through Norway very soon, he added. He said this at a press conference held after meeting Jan Petersen, Norwegian Foreign Minister, yesterday evening.

Prabhakaran turned the world towards the Tamils (Thinakaran - T)
"Through the "Pongu Thamil" festival the Tamil people have shown their unity. Even though we speak proudly of the Tamils' history, it is Prabhakaran who made the world think about the Tamils and we should strengthen his hand," said Minister P. Chandrasegaran at the Pongu Thamil festival held at the Mannar playground on Wednesday (15).

He further said that the upcountry Tamils always supported the LTTE's struggle and that the LTTE, Tamils and Eelam cannot be separated.

'Federalism is the best solution for Sri Lanka (Virakesari - T)
"As regards Sri Lanka, a federal pattern is very suitable as a political solution," said Bill Graham, Foreign Minister of Canada spoke at a press briefing held at the UN Tourist Inn at Kovil Street, Jaffna, held yesterday (16).
He further said that Canada has enough experience regarding a federal state and found out that a multi-racial, religious and ethnic communities can live in peace and amity under such a system.