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| Wednesday, 1 September 2004 |
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Army, LTTE to hold talks on Friday over Batticaloa situation by Ranil Wijayapala Nordic truce monitors yesterday succeeded in their efforts to bring the Eastern LTTE leaders back to ground level talks with the Army with a meeting being fixed between the Army and LTTE for this Friday for discussions on the Batticaloa security situation, especially the killings. Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Spokesman Oskar Solnes told the Daily News yesterday that Major Gen (Rtd) Trond Furuhovde was able to fix this meeting for Friday following the separate discussions he had with the Security Forces Chiefs and LTTE area leaders in Batticaloa. "The SLMM Chief raised the issue of continued killings in the East with both parties stressing that the only way forward is to commence ground level talks between the two parties to sort out differences", Solnes added. The SLMM Chief Trond Furuhovde during the discussion he had with the Security Forces in Batticaloa met 232 Brigade Commander Brigadier Daya Ratnayake and Brigadier Janaka Walgama of the 552 Brigade. Furuhovde also met LTTE Batticaloa leader Ramesh and raised the issue of killings continuing in the East and stressed the necessity for resuming ground level talks between the Army and the LTTE to resolve the situation. The LTTE since June this year had withdrawn from the ground level meetings they had with the Security Forces to discuss the security situation, accusing the Army of harbouring their breakaway leader Karuna and his supporters. Solnes said Ramesh agreed with the SLMM Chief and the meeting was fixed between the two parties for Friday. "This will be a high level meeting between high ranking officers from the Army and the LTTE and will be chaired by SLMM Deputy Chief Hagrup Haukland", Solnes added. According to Military Spokesman Colonel Sumedha Perera, Army officers have told the SLMM Chief that Security Forces were committed to protect the Ceasefire Agreement and to protect human rights but added that the LTTE in the East was doing just the opposite violating the Ceasefire Agreement. The Sri Lanka Army has also emphasised the necessity of having frequent meetings between the two parties since there is a truce agreement is in force. "They have pointed out that the LTTE was participating at these meetings when there is a peaceful situation prevailing in the area and pointed out that LTTE should participate at these meetings when problematic situations arise", Colonel Perera added. Army officials have also told the SLMM Chief that they were ready to provide security for LTTE representatives as was done earlier if they arrive in Government controlled areas in small groups. |
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