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Prabhakaran agrees to direct talks

LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran has agreed to start direct political negotiations with the government soon, the TamilNet Website quoting LTTE sources reported yesterday.

Prabhakaran has made this assurance during an hour-long discussion yesterday morning with the Norwegian peace delegation led by special envoy Erik Solheim in Kilinochchi.

LTTE Chief Negotiator and Spokesman Anton Balasingham and Political Wing leader Thamil Chelvam were associated with Prabhakaran during the discussion. The Norwegian delegation included Ambassador Jon Westborg, Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Trond Furohovde and another member of the SLMM.

The talks had centred on the permanent ceasefire between the government and the LTTE which came into effect on February 22. The LTTE leaders had pointed out the need for implementing fully the terms and conditions of the permanent ceasefire agreement between the two sides and for restoring normalcy in the North.

They had also discussed modalities with regard to the repair and maintenance of the A9 highway, which is due to be opened in April.

The Norwegian officials arrived in Kilinochchi by a Sri lanka Air Force helicopter on Monday and stayed overnight after initial talks with Thamil Chelvam and Balasingham, who arrived in Kilinochchi by a chartered Maldivian Air Taxi seaplane from Male. He was accompanied by his Australian wife Adele Ann.

Balasingham has been playing a major role in the current peace process since December, holding regular meetings at his London residence with the Norwegian peace envoys led by Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen. His return after a three-year exile in the UK is widely seen as a significant development in the peace process.

The Sri Lankan government has agreed, according to the Norwegians, to open the A9 highway from Jaffna to Vanni on April 8, TamilNet said. It was also agreed that the field military commanders of both parties will perform the opening ceremonies.

There will be another round of talks between the LTTE leadership and the Norwegian facilitators when Helgesen visits the Vanni on April 17. 

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