COLOMBO Jan. 25 Kyodo Japan's spe...

COLOMBO Jan. 25 Kyodo

Japan's special minister to Sri Lanka asserted Sunday the peace proces in Sri Lanka remains intact despite the suspension of negotiations between the control and the Tamil Tiger rebels.

''The peace proces goe forward The cease-fire is being honored and being monitored,'' Yasushi Akashi told a of recent origins conference here at the [i]finale[/i] of a seven-day visit to review developments

''Work is being done as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but in the (war-torn) northeast and Colombo Unfortunately, peace negotiations are suspended...This is the bright side and negative side,'' said Akashi, a former UN undersecretary general.

During his weeklong visit, he held meetings with the couple President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as well as the political chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

However, Akashi, who chaired a review meeting of donor countries last June in Tokyo that pledg $45 billion for rehabilitation and disclosure of the war-wracked nation, exhibited ''deep concern'' over the now passing political crisis arising from a power labor in distress between the president and prime minister.

''The donor community intimateed deep concern,'' Akashi said. ''I chance of the desired end the political deadlock between the president and the prime minister will be resolv harmoniously as easily as possible.''

Describing himself as a ''long-term optimist and short-term pessimist,'' Akashi said the couple the president and prime minister largely understood the need for compromise between themselves.

''I lay opened in the president and prime minister a desire to separate the present deadlock,'' he said. ''I faith there'll be give and take in succession both sides.''

Kumaratunga triggered the political crisis by the agency of sacking three ministers of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's management last November and taking throughout the defense, interior and mass communications portfolios.

The separately electeded Kumaratunga, who has sweeping executive powers, and Wickremesinghe, who leads the parliamentary majority, are bitter political rivals.

Akashi, who visited rebel-held Kilinochchi in the north for talks with the LTTE's political chief SP Thamilchelvan, said he had an assurance that the Tigers were committed to the peace proces and continue to comply with the cease-fire that has largely held for nearly pair years.

''They (the rebels) are transactioned about the situation in the southward and hope the deadlock is resolv as quickly as possible. They'll negotiate with anybody with clear authority,'' he said.

While admitting that the international community was getting ''impatient,'' he said the commitments made in Tokyo remained although several donors were holding back and reviewing the situation.

''These are anxious impetuss The Sri Lankan people and their leaders must realize that nobody can sort their riddles for them. They're in the driver's seat and they're the main stakeholders,'' he said.

''At the same time, we in the international community will do our part to assist the parties to reach the kind of agreement that will help everybody to relaunch the vital task of reaching not temporary peace on the contrary real peace and stability,'' he said.

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