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Defence Minister reassures Mahanayake
By Shane Seneviratne
Defence Minister Tilak Marapana yesterday called on the Malwatte Mahanayake Thera to obtain his blessings for the peace process and assured him that the government's decision to lift the ban on the LTTE would not be harmful to national security.

The Minister told the Ven. Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi Mahanayake Thera that since the LTTE had now agreed to hold talks with the government, the lifting of the ban would have no adverse impact.

He also reassured the Mahanayake that none of the other countries ,which had declared the LTTE a terrorist group, would lift the ban as a result of the de proscription of the group in Sri Lanka.

"We should seriously consider which of the two is more important, whether retaining the ban or lifting it and holding peace talks with the LTTE," he said.

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