COLOMBO: The ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Opposition United National Party agreed to constitute a high-level committee, headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, to oversee the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed by both parties, and cooperate to resolve any disagreement.

"The UNP reiterates its commitment to extend support to the Government in the pursuit of a negotiated settlement to the ongoing conflict, while opposing terrorism in all its manifestations, and upholding human rights," the MoU said.

Differences within the UNP on participation in the Government and insistence by a section seeking a commitment from the President against "crossovers" almost derailed the agreement. There are no indications yet that the issue has been resolved to mutual satisfaction.

Ethnic problem

Taking cognisance of the changed ground realities after the last week Supreme Court verdict de-merging the north and east, the MoU on ethnic problem is listed under the topic "conflict in the north and east."

The other subjects identified are: electoral reforms, good governance, social development and proposed structure for collaboration.

Since the ruling combine is yet to decide on how to tackle the situation arising out of the apex court ruling, the agreement on a common approach to the ethnic problem has not yet been made public.

The MoU has already sowed seeds of distrust between the SLFP and its electoral partner — ultra-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) that was engaged in talks with the Rajapaksa Government for a political pact.

The talks collapsed after the JVP insisted on abrogation of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) and de-recognition of Norway as the official facilitator of the peace talks.

The understanding, described historic and unprecedented, has been hailed by various sections within and outside the island nation an event that could pave the way for the much-needed "southern consensus" on resolution of the ethnic strife, which has evaded a solution for decades.

Political analysts and diplomats are cautious in rating the potential of the pact, given the history of rivalry between the SLFP and the UNP.

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