Palitha Kohona Quotations

We are awaiting a response from the Tigers to an offer of a private sea plane for their use.

There is a limit to entertaining excuses. The package of excuses may have now run out.

So far the reaction we have through Norway has been positive.

I believe the ball is now in their court. We are doing everything to go to Geneva for the talks but we can't clap with one hand. There must be commitment by both sides.

It is a more than unfortunate act. I think the government still has to absorb this. I think there will be some heart-searching.

Our insistence is that talks must be held as soon as possible. We also affirm that the violence must end, but that is not a precondition for the government to go for talks.

We are hoping this time the Tigers will respond favorably and ease the violence that has reached unbearable levels in the north and east.

Provocations of this nature can only have one result -- setting one community against another.

This is a containment action. It is also designed to deter. Over and over again servicemen were killed in callous attacks.