Coming up, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister defends his government’s record in trying to secure peace in the country. And you’ll find a full transcript of that story and our lead story on the Asia pacific website tomorrow. On radio Australia and Radio National this is Asia Pacific.

The popularity of Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has been put to the test today. Her ruling People’s Alliance is pitted against the main opposition United National Party in elections for the north-west provisional council. Th outcome will give an indication of the president’s popularity for years after she swept to office with the promise to bring peace to Sri Lanka. Today the government’s war with the separatist Tamil Tigers guerillas the LTTE continues unabated. President Kumaratunga has tried to woe the Tigers with a devolution package, offering greater autonomy to regional areas. but so far she has failed to get the necessary constitutional changes through parliament.

Even Foreign Minister Luxman Kadirkamar admits that the peace process is now stalled. The foreign minister spoke to me when he visited Canberra last week.

KADIRKAMAR: It is stalled yes, but not completely. Because we are not getting the 2/3 majority we need to amend the constitution.

PETER MARES: And it doesn’t appear of the likelihood of that happening the opposition United National Party is not going to support the government’s devolution proposal.

KADIRKAMAR: Well that will have to wait ands see. There might even be an election on that whole issue. It’s far too premature to go into that. The main thing to concentrate on is that our government is absolutely determined to see that those proposals that we have been discussing for a year and a half or more will finally be adopted. You have to work at these things.

PETER MARES: The Tamil tigers have held out the offer of talks with the government, why haven’t the government taken up that offer?

KADIRKAMAR: Those talks are not bone fide. They’ve done that before and they come to nothing. When they are probed a little they all disappear. Those are cosmetic gestures.

PETER MARES: How can you know they’ll come to nothing until you try them?

KADIRKAMAR: We know that?

PETER MARES: How do you know that?

KADIRKAMAR: I’m telling you we know that.

PETER MARES: The Tigers have also suggested third party mediation. South Africa and British parliamentarians have both offered that type of mediation. Why is the government so reluctant to take that up?

KADIRKAMAR: We have made it clear we are not interested in mediation, this is entirely an internal matter and there is no role at all in the part of mediation of anybody outside.

PETER MARES: But clearly the peace process is not progressing, the war has cost some 57,000 lives its chewing up some 37% of Sri Lanka’s government revenues, surely now is the time to help the peace process move along?

KADIRKAMAR: Yes, but the people who can help the peace process move along is the LTTE and they are not doing that.

PETER MARES: Does the government have any new initiatives apart from the devolution package to move peace process forward?

KADIRKAMAR: A new initiative?

PETER MARES: Given you say yourself the process is stalled.

KADIRKAMAR: Yes, the process may be stalled, but it maybe restarted at any moment.

PETER MARES: Does the government have any new initiatives to restart it?

KADIRKAMAR: There is no new initiative. But we are constantly on alert for that. The main point is that the LTTE must be bona fides. They must show and stop murdering democratic politicians.

PETER MARES: So what does the LTTE need to do, in your view, to show bona fides.

KADIRKAMAR: They have to satisfy us, and there are ways and means of doing it, and they are not doing it. That they are bona fide in their proclaimed intentions to bring about a peaceful prospect of the matter.

PETER MARES: They released a number of Sri Lankan armed forces personnel as a gesture.

KADIRKAMAR: What 9 people, when they are holding hundreds?

PETER MARES: So what further gestures do you need from the LTTE? Can you give us some examples?

KADIRKAMAR: No I think they must make an effort. I am not going to give you examples I am sorry. Anything else?

PETER MARES: Yes, minister there has been reports from the Sri Lankan service men that he knows of mass graves in Chemmani in the north of Sri Lanka. Why haven’t those graves been investigated.

KADIRKAMAR: Yes, an intervention order has been issued by the magistrate of the area. It is a judicial proceeding, it has started.

PETER MARES: When will there be a exhumation of those graves?

KADIRKAMAR: Whenever the authorities are ready. The magistrate is in control of it now. We have a judicial system, which is as good as yours.

PETER MARES: It has taken 6 months already.

KADIRKAMAR: Well, there are various steps that have to be taken. One thing the LTTE have threatened the magistrates and that part of the courts have come to a halt in that part of the country.

PETER MARES: So there is no reluctance to investigate this from your part of the government?

KADIRKAMAR: No certainly not. Anything more? Any apologies for the LTTE?

PETER MARES: I beg your pardon?

KADIRKAMAR: Any more apologies for the LTTE?

PETER MARES: Minister I’m not making apologies for the LTTE. I am asking questions.

KADIRKAMAR: Sounds like it.

PETER MARES: I’m asking questions.

KADIRKAMAR: Yes but there are certain ways of asking questions. All the questions are highly loaded. Anything else.

KADIRKAMAR: We will win obviously.

PETER MARES: You are very confident of that?

KADIRKAMAR: Of course.