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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 02, 2003

Sri Lanka Plans to Restructure Armed Forces

Sri Lanka plans to restructure its armed forces in order to reduce its huge defense burden as the current Norwegian-brokered peace process is likely to bring an end to the country's 19-year ethnic conflict.


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Sri Lanka plans to restructure its armed forces in order to reduce its huge defense burden as the current Norwegian-brokered peace process is likely to bring an end to the country's 19-year ethnic conflict.

In a statement issued on Wednesday Defense Minister Tilak Marapana said a defense review committee has been set up to begin the development of a new framework for security in the country.

"As changes occur to the national security landscape, some areas of the security sector will have to be increased, others 'right sized', but all within what the country can afford," he said.

Speaking at a news conference, Defense Secretary Austin Fernando said that the government did not know yet how much could be saved on defense expense following the restructuring the military.

The economy of the country has been adversely affected by the long-running ethnic conflict between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels who have been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland in the north and east of the country. The bloody war has killed over 64,000 lives.

The two sides have held three rounds of peace talks since mid September last year and a fourth round is to take place in Thailand next week.

The LTTE rebels have dropped their demand for a separate Tamil homeland and agreed to share power with the government under a federal structure within one united state.

The resettlement of the displaced Tamils in the so-called high security zones in northern Jaffna peninsula which has aroused dispute between the two sides is to be taken up at the forthcomingtalks.


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