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President Mahinda Rajapaksa
expressed confidence that the impending EU ban on the
LTTE would lead the group to engage in peace talks with
his government.
President Rajapaksa told the British Financial Times
in an interview published yesterday: "The LTTE
thought the world was with them. Their propaganda machine
was very effective. Now, with the EU ban coming, they
will realize that they can't use these tactics, killing
innocent people, murdering. They will have to think
twice and be much more careful. They have to think twice
about fighting the whole world. Whoever has political
sense won't do that."
The EU is expected
to add the LTTE to its list of banned terrorist groups
on Monday, according to the daily.
The President said
he was trying to form a consensus among his country's
main political parties. He also rejected being described
as a warmonger and hard line nationalist saying “Even
when we give (the Tigers) something they want, they
say they don't want it. But I want the LTTE to come
and discuss a solution. Without them we won't be able
to have a solution to the problem.”
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