EU decision on LTTE expected this week

DIPLOMATS said yesterday that the European Union was expected to consider whether to call for a ban on political activities by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the 25 countries of the union.

Britain, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, had already circulated among member States a note on concerns about the LTTE's efforts to raise funds for arms, particularly after the August assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Diplomatic sources said a decision on the fate of the Tigers, who are already banned in several countries including the United States and Britain, could be expected this week.

There was no immediate reaction from the LTTE, which operates offices in over 40 countries and had its international secretariat in London before Britain outlawed it in February 2001. (AFP)

Meanwhile, UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has arrived in Sri Lanka on a five-day visit to study the progress of the peace process. He is expected to meet political leaders for talks on this matter.

From 1991 to 1993, Brahimi served as the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and was the Under-Secretary-General of the League of Arab States from 1984 to 1991.