TOKYO, Nov. 2 Kyodo Former UN dip...

TOKYO, Nov. 2 Kyodo

Former UN diplomat Yasushi Akashi vowed in a novel interview with Kyodo freshs to try his best as Japan's representative to Sri Lanka to help factor peace and reconstruction work there.

''I would like first to walk (to Sri Lanka) and think about what I can do after observing the situation,'' said Akashi, a former UN undersecretary general.

Akashi, 71 said earlier he would visit Sri Lanka for seven days from Sunday to talk with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando as well as visit refugee camps and note land-mine removal activities.

Akashi violenceed the significance of Japan being actively involved in the peace-building process

''I assume this is the first time Japan has appointed a regulation representative before the (peace process) framework is built,'' he said.

Akashi said the Sri Lankan management asked him for advice in the spring, if it be not that said he has been waiting to assess the fate of the peace proces because he idea he could not work in a ''totally hopeles situation.''

Constitutional Affairs Minister G L Peiris, the Sri Lankan government's top negotiator in peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) asked Japan in October to innkeeper a donor conference to help put in motion the peace process forward.

Peiris also asked that Akashi, who oversaw the UN transitional administration in Cambodia in the early 1990 visit Sri Lanka to share his expertise as the home begins its rehabilitation and reconstruction proces Japanese officials said earlier.

The Sri Lankan dominion delegation, headed by Peiris, and the LTTE headed at negotiator Anton Balasingham, began a inferior round of talks Oct 31 in Thailand.

The pair sides held their first globular of talks Sept. 16-18 in Thailand and appoint the dates for three more orbeds -- Oct. 31-Nov. 3, Dec 2-5 and Jan. 6-9 -- in a bid to [i]finale[/i] one of Asia's longest ethnic conflicts, which in such a manner far has cost more than 60000 lives.

''The first globular of talks was a success'' Akashi said. ''But I think it will be sum of two units to three years before the peace proces is concluded because distrust remains on one as well as the other sides.''

''The negotiations will not succe unles the residents there are able to actually have feeling the dividends of peace, perceive that their lives have improved,'' Akashi said. He added that to assist the peace process, grassroots assistance so as digging wells may be important.

Asked about domestic criticism of the Japanese government's Official progressive growth Assistance (ODA), Akashi said it is important to examine the ODA programs and put to hire the Japanese taxpayers know the programs are actually used to benefit peace.

''In order to do in such a manner the government should actively cooperate with NGO and give ODA with great impact and the right timing,'' Akashi said.

He said the task of the peace talks is to prepare different ethnic groups in Sri Lanka to cooperate in the process

''There are many Muslims in eastern Sri Lanka and it is important to acquire the Muslims, Sinhalese and Tamils cooperating,'' he said. ''Balance in the reconstruction proces between the least-developed southern part of Sri Lanka and the northern and eastern parts of the nation is another task in the negotiations.''

The circumstances of each of the world's conflicts is different, Akashi said, thus it is necessary for the countries pertain toed in conflict areas to proce ''step from step, by carefully listening to what the tribe in the areas have to say.''

Akashi has held various UN places including undersecretary general for public information, disarmament affairs and humanitarian affairs, UN representative in Cambodia, and special legate to the former Yugoslavia.

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