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Facilitators to meet Anton Balasingham

Norway-LTTE informal talks to break deadlock

by Ranga Jayasuriya

Norwegian peace facilitators said yesterday that they were engaged in "informal discussions" with the LTTE leadership to end the deadlock in the peace negotiations and were due to meet London-based LTTE Chief Negotiator Anton Balasingham.

Balasingham last week said the Tigers would insist on a "radical overhaul of the entire peace process" and a "redefined agenda".

"We will discuss this with the Norwegian facilitators," Balasingham was quoted as saying by the pro-LTTE TamilNet website.

Balasingham's remarks came following an uneasy phase of relations between the Norwegian facilitators and the LTTE, as indicated in Balasingham's letters to the Prime Minister.

Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar who met LTTE political chief Thamilselvam last Wednesday said the discussions were "constructive and fruitful". The two parties focused on means of resuming peace talks in the 90-minute discussion which also dealt with the interim administration, political assassinations and the sinking of a LTTE vessel off Mullaitivu. Following the Ambassador Brattskar's visit to the Wanni, diplomatic sources told the Daily News that Tigers were awaiting the Government's proposals on the new mechanism to replace the sum committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs (SIHRN).

The new structure, as outlined by cabinet Spokesman Prof. G.L. Peiris will comprise one or two commissioners and district development committees and will be a temporary measure for the reconstruction and development activities of the North East.

Balasingham last week reiterated that the Tigers will resume talks only after the government offers them a "practical conceptual framework for the interim administrative structure" adding the Government's latest offer has not spelled out the political administrative powers of the proposed structure.

The Government however insists on an input by the LTTE on the proposed structure and underlined the need for a meeting between two parties to iron out the differences. Prof. Peiris said the issues could not be addressed by exchanging letters alone and face-to-face discussions were necessary.

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