By Shamindra Ferdinando
The PA and the UNP led United National Front seeking to evolve new ways of constructive co-habitation and collective action for the resolution of the north-east conflict with Norwegian facilitated peace talks with the LTTE, will strive to take a common stance on cross-border terrorism at the next month’s biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting [CHOGM] in Queensland, officials said last week.

The two parties both in the government, through the presidency and the cabinet will have no option but to present a united face at the CHOGM, they said. They expressed the belief that President Chandrika Kumaratunga would meet Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando before they leave Colombo to participate at the CHOGM scheduled to take place between March 2-5. President Kumaratunga’s foreign affairs advisor and ex-foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was likely to be present when the President meets with the Foreign Minister at Janadhipathi Mandiraya.

There would be a series of meetings with Commonwealth leaders on the sidelines of the CHOGM.

This would be the second time the two sides would be at an international gathering. The first was in Kathmandu when President was at the 11 SAARC summit.

Officials said that the need to take a common stand on terrorism has been further necessitated by the fact that the forthcoming CHOGM would be in response to the September 11 Al Queda attacks on key US targets and also to decide ways and means of the 54-member states of the Commonwealth could back the ongoing US campaign against cross-border terrorism.

"We have been in the forefront in the global campaign against international terrorism," one source said while explaining that Sri Lanka would not be able to reverse its tough stance on terrorism just because the new government wants to bring the LTTE back to the negotiating table.

The LTTE was among over two dozen of groups that have been included in lists of proscribed organisations prepared by the US and the UK.

The LTTE’s demand for de-proscription to facilitate the Norwegian led peace process too figured in talks when the ten-nation ministerial level committee on cross border terrorism that represents the Commonwealth member states met at Marlborough House, London late last month. It was among a gamut of issues discussed, the sources said while adding that Sri Lanka, a leading member of the committee had to take the stance that terrorism could not be eradicated only by military means. Political solutions have to be found where necessary, Foreign Minister Fernando told the members of the committee. He was backed by Malaysian and South African delegates.

The committee has been tasked with preparing a comprehensive plan of action to help the members states to carry out terms of the UN Security Council resolution against terrorism adopted after the Al Queda attacks on the US. The plan was to be presented at the CHOGM where international terrorism was expected to be one of the main issues up for discussion.

The ex-New Zealand Foreign Minister and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Don Makinnon moved for the establishment of the committee following fierce criticism that the Commonwealth had failed to take any decisive action swiftly at least after the devastating terror attacks on the US. The committee includes India, UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Malaysia, Tanzania, Bahamas and Tonga.

Earlier, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Tanzania succeeded in blocking a move by some powerful member states of the Commonwealth to downgrade the committee, the sources said. They proposed that the first deliberations should take place at the level of senior officials. However, others disagreed. They have pointed out that by downgrading the level participation, the committee would not be able to achieve its goals.