Explaining the developments of the peace process in a live one hour interview telecast by all stations, Mr. Wickremesinghe said even LTTE members should be able to join the army and police following the final settlement.

The prime minister said any guerrilla group could not function without the support of the people and that also applied to the LTTE.

The premier said at least another year would take to give full dividends of peace to the people in the North and East. The government has already instructed to immediately commence 200-300 reconstruction and rehabilitation projects there before the aid group meeting in Tokyo scheduled in June.

He observed that the majority of the public were supporting the peace move while a few questions it. People have given a mandate to the government to bring a peaceful solution to end the 20-year-war. He asked the opponents to come up with an acceptable alternative to peace talks other than war.

“We have already reached a consensus on the policy framework. Now it is time for implementation,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said.

“We should march forward step by step,” he said.

However, Mr. Wickremesinghe said he would not implement the final settlement with the LTTE without a mandate from the public, even if all the political parties had extended their support to the solution.

Mr. Wickremesinghe praised President Chandrika Kumaratunga for creating an environment for political negotiations, inviting Norway to facilitate the peace talks, reducing the racism in the country and also for leading the SLFP to accept in principle for a political settlement to the ethnic conflict.

“We are continuing the process started by the president,” the premier said.

Before joining the live interview Mr. Wickremesinghe led the government's first anniversary celebrations of the ceasefire agreement, at the Independence Square. Published: Sat Feb 22 12:14:14 EST 2003

As part of a familiarization process Tellefsen will meet government negotiators and travel to war-ravaged north next Wednesday and meet officials of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam rebels, he said.

The Norwegian Foreign Ministry announced Tellefsen's appointment last month and said Furuhovde will continue to work as an adviser to the Norwegian government on Sri Lanka - 's peace process.

Tamil Tiger rebels had fought against the government since 1983 to create a separate state for the minority Tamils. They claim Tamils are discriminated against by the majority Sinhalese in education and jobs.

Nearly 65,000 people were killed and another 1.6 million displaced in the conflict before the cease-fire.

During his career in the Royal Norwegian Army, Tellefsen commanded a multinational peacekeeping and observer force monitoring Egypt and Israel from 1997-2001; commanded U.N peacekeeping forces in Macedonia in 1994-1995; and was responsible for recruiting and training Norwegian peacekeepers from 1989-1994.

Haukland said that 13 members of the 46-member monitoring mission will be replaced before mid March. Published: Sat Feb 22 18:00:37 EST 2003