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The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam said on Wednesday that it was willing to give up arms if the Sri Lankan government came forward with an acceptable solution.
In his first interaction in 12 years with the international media at Kilinochchi, a war-ravaged town in Jaffna, LTTE chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran called for a separate Tamil homeland, recognition of Tamil nationality and acceptance of Tamil rights.
He said that the peace initiatives jointly undertaken by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the LTTE had not yet brought in the conditions for the latter to give up the demand for an independent Tamil state.
However, he said: "We are ready to give up arms and walk the path of political reorganisation of the Tamil people if the right solution is offered to end the ethnic problems."
Asked as to what he considered the best solution, Prabhakaran said that setting up an interim administration in the LTTE-controlled areas of should be the beginning of a series of initiatives.
When asked if he was willing to head the interim administration, he said: "I will think about it after such an administration is set up."
He said that the LTTE had been eager to enter into a series of peace initiatives for the last one year. "I am very pleased and happy with the progress of the peace process brokered by Norway," he said.
Prabhakaran said though he would not attend the peace talks between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government in Thailand in May, the outfit's chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham, would represent him.
He said that the LTTE was forced to take up arms by the Sri Lankan government.
"As per the popular referendum in 1977, our people gave an overwhelming mandate that they need a separate Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. But we were forced to tread the path of insurgency after the Sri Lankan army killed thousands of innocent Tamils," Prabhakaran said
"... I have been always advocating peace and peace. That is why I took the initiative of the cessation of hostilities four months back," he said.
"My request to the world is that the LTTE should not be treated as a terrorist organisation. We are a force that has undertaken a liberation struggle," he added.
Asked of the LTTE would amass weapons when the peace process was on, he said: "We were able to procure large quantities of arms and ammunition during the war with the Sri Lankan army. During the peace time, we are deprived of opportunity to buy arms."
Asked how much arms the LTTE had bought so far, the rebel leader said: "We have bought arms for millions of rupees."
The LTTE chief repeated said he wanted to forget the past and urged all people -- the Tamil political leaders, moderate groups and the Tamil Muslims in Sri Lanka - to join hands with him to achieve peace in Sri Lanka
He said the LTTE has already apologised to the Muslims for the atrocities that the LTTE cadres had committed in the past.
"I have invited the Muslim leaders and other Tamil leaders for talks. I am sure we will be able to engage in a constructive dialogue for a new start."
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