The Sri Lankan prime minister and the ruling party's presidential candidate has pledged a new approach to the internationally backed peace process with the Tamil Tigers.

Mahinda Rajapakse, the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) candidate in the Nov. 17 presidential poll, released his manifesto here Tuesday hinting a complete overhaul of the peace process with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"The ongoing cease-fire will be reviewed and the present truce monitoring mechanism will be closely scrutinized to leave no room for acts of terror," the manifesto stated.

Rajapakse vowed to have direct talks with the LTTE and intended to have a personal meeting with the Tiger leader.

He blamed the ongoing cease-fire as one which had led to the destruction of the democratic institutions in the troubled north and east provinces.

Rajapakse also said that he would do away with the post Tsunami Operation Management Structure (P-TOMS), which he himself had presented in parliament. Instead of that he is to introduce a new mechanism called the "Jaya Lanka" program.

The manifesto said Rajapakse would not be entrapped in the concepts such as the traditional homeland and self determination in trying to reach agreement with the LTTE for a final solution to end the long drawn out conflict.

The two concepts are key demands of the Tigers and it is left to be seen how the Tigers would react to the Rajapakse manifesto.

The UPFA candidate offered welfare measures while pronouncing a national economic policy.

He envisaged a 8 percent economic growth in the next six years while doing away with privatization of state enterprises.

Source: Xinhua