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LTTE should comply with rulings of truce monitors - SLMM

by Ranil Wijayapala 

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission is to convince the LTTE that they should comply with the rulings of the truce monitors as a signatory to the ceasefire agreement, when Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and his Deputy Vidar Helgesen meet the LTTE leaders in Kilinochchi.

SLMM Deputy Chief Hagrup Haukland told the Daily News yesterday that this will definitely be discussed when Petersen and Vidar Helgesen meet the LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi after their arrival in Sri Lanka on March 12.The SLMM has sought the intervention of the Norwegian Ministers as the LTTE continued to delay the release of the two servicemen under their custody defying the ruling given by the SLMM when settling the standoff between the Navy and the Tigers in Kuchchaveli.

Haukland said the SLMM has sent another strongly worded letter to the LTTE on Saturday demanding the release of two servicemen unconditionally, reciprocating the SLMM ruling.

The LTTE last week demanded the release of six LTTE cadres in custody for the release of the two servicemen. However, the SLMM Deputy Chief said there were rumours that the LTTE was going to release the two servicemen today (March 3) but added that there was no official confirmation form the LTTE side by last afternoon. "The LTTE should honour the ceasefire agreement as a signatory to it by complying with the SLMM rulings.

The SLMM has the authority give a ruling when settling disputes".

"Both parties should comply with them as signatories to the agreement. Otherwise they should reconsider bringing amendments to the ceasefire agreement," he added.

The outgoing SLMM Chief Gen (retired) Trond Furohovde and his successor Tryggve Tellefsen are also due to meet the LTTE leadership in Kilinochchi on Wednesday when LTTE Chief Negotiator Dr. Anton Balasingham meets LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran after arriving in the country on Sunday (March 02).

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