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| Friday, 16 January 2004 |
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LTTE assures Norwegians : We abide by truce by Ranga Jayasuriya The LTTE on Wednesday reiterated that it would continue with the truce agreement irrespective of the continuing political impasse in the South, when the LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham and political chief Thamilselvam met Norwegian facilitators in two separate meetings in London and Kilinochchi. Meeting Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim in London, LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham pledged that the Tigers would respect the truce agreement irrespective of the ongoing political instability in the South. A spokesman for the LTTE political office in Kilinochchi quoted Balasingham as saying that the LTTE was prepared to participate in negotiations when a stable government assumes power in Colombo. He said the LTTE theoretician pledged that the Tigers will abide by the Ceasefire Agreement till a political leadership with a clear mandate and authority emerged to resume peace negotiations. Meanwhile, the pro- LTTE Tamilnet quoted Balasingham as telling the Norwegians that the Tigers will not "interfere in the current constitutional crisis between the President and the Prime Minister". "We are prepared to wait until the dispute is resolved by the Sinhala leadership". The three hour discussion between Balasingham and Solheim focused on the current political impasse and possibility of breaking the deadlock in the peace negotiations. LTTE political chief Thamilselvam made the same remarks when he met Norwegian Ambassador to Colombo Hans Brattskar in Kilinochchi on the same day. Thamilselvam reiterated his earlier pledge that the LTTE will not be the first to break the truce. "There is a resolute commitment of the LTTE that the Liberation Tigers will not be the party to commence it (war)," Thamilselvam earlier told the Reuters. The LTTE spokesman said Ambassador Brattskar's meeting with the LTTE political chief also focused on the forth-coming donor meeting on January 23 and Thamilselvam's Norwegian visit scheduled towards the end of this month. Thamilselvam is expected to meet Norwegian facilitators including Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgessen during his scheduled visit to Oslo. |
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