Chairman of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) and Science and Technology Minister Tissa Vitharana said that he is in consultation with both the UNP and JVP in an effort to persuade them to rejoin the APRC proceedings. 

He said that involvement of the UNP and JVP is essential to obtain a southern consensus on the resolution of the ethnic issue.

"Thereafter I would invite the Tamil National Alliance for discussions and present the agreed final set of proposals to them", he told a news conference held at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday,

 The first meeting of the APRC in the new year and the 100th in all will be held this week, Vitharana said. "Ninety five percent of the issues have been sorted out and I am confident that a solution acceptable to all communities could be thrashed out very soon."

 Asked what the unit of devolution would be, he said that agreement has been reached on it being the province.

 Pressed on whether the Tamil parties will agree to the province being the unit of devolution, the Minister said that Eastern Tamils led by the TMVP have already indicated that they do not want to merge with the North.

 "UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has asked me to continue my discussions with K. N. Chosky with a view to arriving at a consensus, he said. "The UNP’s participation is crucial for the success of the APRC."

 National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa claimed that the killing of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunga is a conspiracy by those who are not happy with the heroic efforts of the security forces in capturing Kilinochchi and Elephant Pass.

 "Bankrupt political forces are trying to rise when the security forces are on a winning streak and the government is doing its best to ensure democratic governance for the Tamil people."

 Environment Minister Champika Ranawaka said that it was the folly of leaders such as Ranasinghe Premadasa and Ranil Wickremesinghe that led to the LTTE strengthening itself.