Colombo, Ahead of the presidential elections on September 21, the main Tamil minority party, TNA, remains optimistic that whoever wins the polls, Tamil issues can be resolved through debate.
MA Sumanthiran, senior leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), said on Monday that the Tamil party is willing to work in cooperation with the chosen candidate.
More than 2.2 million of the 17 million registered voters come from the northern and eastern Tamil regions.
The TNA, in a split decision, has already announced that it will back main opposition rival Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya Party (SJB).
However, party leader S Sritharan remains committed to P Ariyanethran, who is contesting as a common Tamil candidate.
Sumanthiran said Premadasa was the candidate who gave the most positive assurance among the other candidates - incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe and Marxist NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake - to resolve Tamil issues.
During talks with TNA, the three candidates agreed to delegate powers that would lead to a political solution for Tamils, Sumanthiran said.
Asked whether Wickremesinghe or Dissanayake would be the winner instead of their candidate Premadasa, Sumanthiran said since both had given assurances of a political solution, no problems would arise.
"The main objective of all Tamil parties is to achieve a political solution to Tamil problems," Sumanthiran said.
TNA's decision to back Premadasa has been criticized by hardline Tamil leader of the Tamil National People's Front, Gajen Ponnambalam.
He termed the TNA's decision as one that is not in the best interests of Tamils and advocated a boycott of the vote as Tamils cannot participate in an election to elect a Sinhalese leader to lead the country.
Early last month, the TNA announced that it would field Ariyanethran as a joint Tamil candidate. He is one of the 38 candidates in the running.
MA Sumanthiran, senior leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), said on Monday that the Tamil party is willing to work in cooperation with the chosen candidate.
More than 2.2 million of the 17 million registered voters come from the northern and eastern Tamil regions.
The TNA, in a split decision, has already announced that it will back main opposition rival Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya Party (SJB).
However, party leader S Sritharan remains committed to P Ariyanethran, who is contesting as a common Tamil candidate.
Sumanthiran said Premadasa was the candidate who gave the most positive assurance among the other candidates - incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe and Marxist NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake - to resolve Tamil issues.
During talks with TNA, the three candidates agreed to delegate powers that would lead to a political solution for Tamils, Sumanthiran said.
Asked whether Wickremesinghe or Dissanayake would be the winner instead of their candidate Premadasa, Sumanthiran said since both had given assurances of a political solution, no problems would arise.
"The main objective of all Tamil parties is to achieve a political solution to Tamil problems," Sumanthiran said.
TNA's decision to back Premadasa has been criticized by hardline Tamil leader of the Tamil National People's Front, Gajen Ponnambalam.
He termed the TNA's decision as one that is not in the best interests of Tamils and advocated a boycott of the vote as Tamils cannot participate in an election to elect a Sinhalese leader to lead the country.
Early last month, the TNA announced that it would field Ariyanethran as a joint Tamil candidate. He is one of the 38 candidates in the running.
