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Karuna faction hits out at CBK

The LTTE's breakaway Eastern leader Karuna yesterday accused President Kumaratunga of making untrue and irresponsible statements in an interview with BBC. In the interview the President reportedly said she would talk peace only with the Wanni leadership and refused to reciprocate attempts by Karuna to contact her.

Karuna's spokesman Varthan said yesterday it was an irresponsible statement made by the leader of the country. "We can't understand why responsible people make statements like this. We made no attempt to contact her", he claimed.

Varthan said time would make the South realize the importance of the East. The President told the BBC the government of Sri Lanka would have to deal with the accepted LTTE leader LTTE Velupillai Prabhakaran after the April 2 polls.

In what was seen as a hard-hitting interview that had angered the renegade leader, the President had rejected Karuna's leadership and claimed that she refused his attempts to contact her, because she "did not normally like underhand dealings".

Karuna's spokesman also expressed concern over her statement that she would find ways and means of dealing with Karuna. Varthan called on the Southern parties to weigh the difference in size between the North held by Prabhakaran and the East under Karuna.

He conceded that the South could not ignore the bargaining power commanded by Prabhakaran, but said that Karuna's support at any future peace process would be vital. "No decision on peace can come through without the consent of the people in the East", Varthan stressed.

The Karuna group also denied TNA candidate Joseph Pararajasingham's reported statement that Karuna had told the TNA how to conduct the election campaign. He said no such directions were given.

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